Pride comes before the fall
by FluffyPancakes151
Summary: The demon somehow managed to escape their grasp. How that happened, he didn't actually know. What was certain, however, was that they would find him and make him face the consequences of his actions once again. And this time, he wouldn't be getting away so easily —Sequel to The fall from grace—
1. Chapter 1

The forest stood dead and silent around him, almost disturbingly void of any usual signs of life. That didn't strike him as odd, not anymore. All living beings instinctively fled from his presence alone, burrowing deep into the soft turf beneath them, running as fast and as far as their legs would carry them or escaping into the azure skies above. None dared to linger in his presence for too long for fear of incurring his wrath. The foliage and trees surrounding him on all sides were no exception to this unspoken rule either. He couldn't help but notice, as the massive trunks on all sides seemed to lean away from him, their branches either lifting or dipping out of the way so as not to come into contact with his dark essence, the stray patches of grass that were not yet covered by snow shriveling and turning into a sickly yellow even further beneath him.

It didn't bother him, or so he tried to convince himself.

Twenty years had gone by since the samurai had shown up in the future and thwarted Aku's every attempt to end the mortal's life. Fifteen years had gone by since the demon had given up, locking himself away in his own fortress to wait for the troublesome human to wither away and die. Only to promptly discover that the other had become pretty much immortal as a side effect of the accursed time-portal, meaning that he would always be there to lurk in the shadows, a constant threat that the demon could not rid himself of, forcing him to live with his nemesis constantly plaguing his every thought.

Aku did not dare to venture outside since the day that realization had fully sunk in, frustration and something awfully akin to fear sinking their vile claws deep into his very core. All he could do was hope that one day one of his assassins would get lucky, or that there would be a convenient accident that would be just devastating enough to leave his nemesis disabled at the least, if not killed. After all, the samurai did have a nasty habit of helping everyone with a decent enough sob story. Perhaps that would eventually prove to be his downfall.

After a few years, however, the wait for something, anything, to end the samurai's life had become unbearable.

With no one else to turn to, Aku sought the help of his own clone and it had helped, but only marginally. In fact, it had been the other's suggestion that led him to travel here in the first place, seeking a temporary escape from the stifling familiarity of his surroundings and constant state of frantic worry. It had infuriated him at first, the mere suggestion of 'taking a break'. He was Aku after all, the lord of all demons, not some pitiful, distressed human in need of someone to offer him comfort. But when it had simply become too much, when he had started to constantly look over his shoulder, as if expecting for the human warrior to jump out and attack him at any given second, he had to acquiesce to the other's suggestion.

Aku chose to teleport to a distant forest, far outside his usual domain. That had been part of his clone's advice as well, to leave everything that was familiar behind in order to more fully and efficiently clear his head. He just needed some time alone, that's all. Just a few hours in a place he knew for sure would be void of a certain bothersome samurai. Who knows, maybe he would finally come up with a plan that would solve his little problem once and for all. And maybe he'd get lucky and get to slaughter a herd of deer as well. How long had it been since he'd given into his basic demonic urges?

He knew they were following him from the start, could smell their vile scents in the very air even though they stayed carefully downwind of him, but paid no mind to their insignificant presence at first. They were most likely news reporters anyway, nosy little cretins, he thought he had gotten rid of their impudent breed a long time ago. No matter. They wouldn't be able to publish anything unflattering even if they tried. Aku controlled everything on this planet and if they believed they could deceive and avoid answering to him then they were even bigger fools than he had expected.

It was odd however that he'd encounter some of them here of all places. He'd chosen this forest specifically because of how far it was from any major cities. Or camping spots the remaining humans were so fond of anyway. What were reporters doing here? Were they tracking him?

In the end, he opted to ignore them, writing their presence off as a coincidence, too consumed by his own problems to be able to bring himself to care. The annoyance their impertinent stalking caused was easily pushed aside as well. Though it would have amused him greatly to watch them burn and writhe in agony, he had come here for another purpose, one that was far more important than three insolent bugs. As long as they kept their distance, the demon would spare their miserable lives.

Except they didn't.

Aku was acutely aware of the second they chose to break the unseen barrier, to close the distance between them until he could spot their tiny forms sprinting after him on the horizon, only partially concealed by the deep evening shadows. Something glinted eerily in their arms and he assumed they were weapons of some kind, the shapes strangely unfamiliar and alien to him even though he had been fighting wars for many centuries. Fury bloomed inside his chest with rapid, frightening speed. How dare they interrupt his walk?! How dare they distract him?! Who did they think they were to approach the mighty Aku in such an insolent manner?! He would take great pleasure in punishing them after all. Perhaps the act would even lighten up his already rather bleak day.

Aku came to a sudden stop in a small clearing and waited for them to venture closer to what would soon prove to be their deaths. Several plans and ideas for a suitable punishment went through his mind, each far more cruel and ultimately exquisite than the previous one. He would get to try at least three of them, the rest could be left for another time. His prisons were alarmingly full these days after all, courtesy of the accursed samurai. People really seemed to believe they actually stood a chance against him now. Ha!

The demon could hear them closing in, his pursuers having long since abandoned all pretenses of stealth, stray leaves and branches rustling and crackling beneath their heavy footfalls. They sounded rather determined. Interesting. Not that that would save them from meeting their demise, of course, but it had been a while since he had encountered such resolve. Not since he had last battled against a certain white clad warrior in fact. The bitter thought made him scowl. So much for 'out of sight, out of mind'. Even thousands of miles away, the human still found ways to plague his thoughts. At least the demon now had someone to take his anger out on.

Aku spun around in a single, swift movement, the action filled with an alien, seemingly boneless, fluidity and grace. They wouldn't even have a single chance of defending themselves. The demon could be move far too fast for the average human eye to catch when he wanted to, and, unlike the samurai, they were not accustomed to battling him and did not have the same level of fighting skills as the other human.

His eyebrows blazed and his lips curled in a feral grin, baring his wicked fangs in preparation for an exhilarating hunt. Let the games begin. Even if he already knew who was going to come out as the winner.

There were three of them in total, but he had already known that, just like he had learned of their decision to follow him. Aku couldn't see their faces, not clearly anyway with the heavy furs they wore, vaguely reminding him of the old Mongolian tribes he had exterminated so long ago. Not that he cared much about seeing their ugly visages, it would merely be a pleasant bonus to see the pain reflected on their pitiful faces. Oh well, he could always satisfy himself with their piercing screams.

Unsheathing his razor sharp claws, he bared his curved fangs in a wicked grin, prepared to utter the usual speech before tearing into them-

Something flashed through the cool night air, cutting him off before he could even begin. Something golden and so bright that it actually managed to blind him for a few crucial seconds. The shrill whistle of some form of a projectile closely followed the blinding light, ringing painfully in the demon's ears. Were they really trying to attack him? Him? No, that couldn't be possible. Surely they were not that foolish yet?

But he was wrong, just like he appeared to be wrong about many things these days.

A golden collar, seemingly conjured out of nowhere, strapped itself tightly around his throat, choking and coiling around him like a revolting Earthen snake. Moving on instinct, he grasped at it with his claws even though he already knew he would not be able to remove it by using physical force alone, sharpened fingers digging ruthlessly into his own essence despite the pain it caused him. Indignation mixed with anger and he let out an enraged cry, turning his attention back on the foolish mortals who had dared to assault him. Did they really believe they could tie him down like some kind of animal?! He would show them! They would curse the day they were born!

In his overwhelming fury he did not notice his magic slowly beginning to waver and wane, as if it were being sucked out of him by force, siphoned, harvested even. All he could think about was how he was going to destroy the humans now circling him, avoiding each powerful swipe of his claws that were strong enough to uproot and cut the trees surrounding them in half. He didn't find it suspicious at first how they seemed to avoid attacking him further, dodging his blows yet keeping themselves nearby as if they were waiting for something to happen. He should have noticed that something was off right away... But he hadn't, too focused on squashing them to take a moment and think things through. That sort of blind anger unfortunately proved to be his undoing.

The second he tried to morph his hand into a blade, his body suddenly seized up, burning agony consuming him and coursing through his veins like liquid fire. Having a bucket of lava dumped over his head would've been less painful. The sheer force and unexpectedness of it was even enough to bring him down to his knees, back arching in overwhelming suffering. His own cry of pain failed to register with his suddenly addled senses. His magic sparked along his own body in a distressed manner, as if trying to escape some unseen force grasping at it, attempting to capture it. Aku couldn't see, couldn't hear, shock forcing his body to go still, locking him in complete motionlessness.

That.. shouldn't have happened. His claws should have followed his command and not remained in their original form. The simple act of shapeshifting should not have been this painful. What was going on?! Why was there soft ground suddenly beneath his claws? He had been standing just a few seconds earlier...

Aku looked up, the burning remnants from the brief, but overwhelming moment of pure agony still clouding his sight and blurring the human forms into nigh unrecognizable shapes. Had they moved.. closer?

With a ferocious snarl, the demon attempted to push himself up, towering over the three humans even while forced down to his knees. His eyebrows burned brighter as his rage rose to worrying levels, mouth no longer curved in a mocking grin. Aku could not remember the last time he had been this angry, not since the old emperor had imprisoned him in that tree so many years ago. Forget about torturing them, he was going to kill them!

Before he could charge at them, now fully lost to his own anger, there was another blinding flash of light, a pained hiss leaving his lips as he involuntarily lifted a clawed hand to shield his stinging eyes-

A chain attached itself to the choker already strapped around his throat, pulling him down to the ground below with startling force that was far beyond the capabilities of a mere human being. Unprepared for the sudden and powerful yank, Aku collapsed heavily onto the forest ground, kicking up a cloud of dust and gravel with the mere force of his fall. Coughing, he lifted one shaking arm, his claws grasping almost frantically at his abused neck. His eyes widened when he encountered the newly forged bonds there, his anger momentarily replaced by shock and horror. This.. This couldn't be happening. His essence could absorb practically anything, including most magical objects. The sword had been the only thing that could affect him, hurt him. The collar and chains shouldn't be able to remain tied around him, he should have been able to break or consume them by now. What was going on?!

The humans were saying something now, but he couldn't hear them, panicked thoughts racing across his mind with lightning speed. Aku could feel his own dark magic leaving him, slipping through his claws like water and abandoning him just like one would flee a sinking ship. Even though he tried to hold it back, he was unable to, the conjured bonds around him pulsing in tandem with his own essence as if they were mocking his pitiful attempts at remaining in control.

His black equivalent of blood beating a hysterical rhythm in his ears, the demon tried to summon his laser eye beams, his shapeshifting powers, teleportation even just to get away, but nothing worked. A steady buzz filled his head and he shook where he was kneeling above the ground, nearly collapsing again on the deceptively soft ground. Aku could feel himself trembling, the loathed sensations of weakness and exhaustion washing over him. For perhaps the first time in his entire life, he felt truly helpless...

Too lost in his fear and shock to pay much attention to his surroundings, he didn't notice the humans stepping closer, their eyes gleaming in savage triumph beneath the heavy hoods concealing their faces, their hands glowing a soft blue as they murmured the incantations that would forever change the demon's life. They had waited for this moment for so long...

Aku's body spasmed, a tortured cry echoing in the dark depths of the empty forest surrounding them as he felt his dark essence boil and then compress, the world around him steadily growing larger. Or was he becoming smaller?

Golden shackles fastened themselves around his wrists and he choked, the only things his mind could focus on becoming the fear and excruciating pain sinking their claws deep into him, smothering him.

His magic left his body entirely.

Darkness edging his blurry vision, his eyes slid shut and he wished for this to be a terrible dream. When he woke again, he would find himself back in his fortress, unharmed and free, plotting the samurai's death. He was sure of it.

The last thing he was aware of were the human shapes slowly approaching to tower over him, their eyes glinting eerily underneath their large hoods.

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

Aku could feel their hands on him, the distinct and revolting sensation of human skin sliding against his smooth essence, leaving burning agony in its wake. He couldn't scream, couldn't fight, all strength having left him the moment that golden collar had been latched around his neck.

A strangled sob wrung itself from his abused throat when the cruel fingers trailed down his side, slowly morphing into blades and digging painfully, ruthlessly into him. Hot tears spilled down his garish green face, the sensation alien and unwelcome. When had he started crying? He couldn't remember...

The stone walls seemed to rattle around him, the terrible dark laughter that for once did not belong to him echoing in his own head. Aku curled up as much as he could, the chains around his wrists keeping him in an uncomfortable, half kneeling position. Someone kicked him and he nearly doubled over, the steel ended boot colliding with his midsection with enough force to make him cough and groan. His essence pulsed a panicked rhythm in his ears and he gasped for breath, his eyes clenching shut.

He knew now what his victims had suffered for so many years. Knew that he deserved about as much mercy as he had shown them. None at all. Aku deserved this ironic fate and there was no running from it. This was his punishment and all he could do was accept it.

"Pride comes before the fall," an old quote, uttered by a human whose name he'd never bothered to learn, rang bitterly in his exhausted mind. For how long had he believed otherwise? Why had he been so foolish as to believe that there would never be anyone capable of opposing him? He should've learnt his lesson after the old emperor, after the samurai. But his many victories had clouded his judgement, his arrogance ultimately becoming his downfall.

And now... there was no running from the consequences of his actions.

Something brushed against the side of his face and he flinched, bracing himself for the blow he knew was coming. But to his utter astonishment it never did. The touch returned, so gentle and light compared to the rough handling he had experienced before. Soft fingers trailed up his cheek in a soothing caress, an almost tender thumb wiping away the tears that were still present on the demon's face. Before this would've disgusted him, Aku would've killed anyone before they could even get remotely close to him, much less touch him. But now with his life becoming a miserable roiling mass of endless pain, degradation and torment, he leaned into the first kind gesture he was offered, his eyes slowly sliding shut. His body shuddered in barely contained sobs, his chest heaving from the strain of keeping himself together. He would not break down, not now.

To his utter relief, the other did not move away. One hand continued its gentle caresses, while another cautiously curled around one of his shackled wrists, brushing softly against his trembling claws. It wasn't a possessive hold either, the fingers failed to clamp tightly, painfully around him like Aku had expected them to, instead offering him a gentle squeeze in a show of support, however meager it was.

Some part of him was horrified by how far he'd fallen to actually welcome this. From a proud demon, the supreme ruler and overlord of countless planets including this one, to a frightened, broken creature, a mere shell of what he once used to be. Yet at that moment, in that dark, cold dungeon, Aku found that he couldn't bring himself to care, shuddering in the comforting embrace of the unknown person holding him.

The soothing hand brushed lightly against the base of his lowest horn and the demon froze, the peace that had fallen over him shattering in an instant. Perhaps it was an accident, the touch would soon leave that particular area of his body once it sensed his discomfort, he told himself.

Except it didn't.

He tried to pull away, but wasn't able to, the previously gentle fingers suddenly clenching around him with nearly bruising force. He thrashed in the other's hold, claws curling around the hand holding him so brutally with almost feral desperation, tears starting to spill down his garish green face again. Dark laughter reverberated throughout the confines of the pitch black room, echoing in his ears as he choked on his own sobs. The by now painfully familiar steel edge of the dagger brushed against his dark essence, not yet digging in, taunting him, torturing him with just a hint of the pain that was yet to come.

"Please," his voice, barely more than a broken whisper, rang clear in the stale and dusty air of the underground cell, the hand momentarily stilling in its movements. "Please don't, don't-!"

He couldn't hold back an agonized scream as the blade sank into him with vicious cruelty, thrashing as another pair of hands suddenly descended upon him, grasping and shaking him by the shoulders.

"Aku!"

He bucked wildly, desperation lacing his movements as he tried to throw the other off, no longer aware that the dagger was gone and the air was no longer heavy with the scent of infection and his own blood.

"Aku, wake up!"

His eyes shot open and he lurched away in shock from the familiar form now standing over him, chest heaving and his essence pulsing a panicked rhythm in his ears. For a single, terrifying moment he thought it was the ringleader again and his breath stalled in his chest, mouth opening to spout excuses even though he knew they would not stop the other from hurting him.

"Aku?" The figure asked again, voice soft and quiet. That... wasn't his captor's voice.

Jack's face, lined with exhaustion, shock and worry stared down at him,his hands held up in front of him in a calming manner, showing that he was unarmed.

The samurai! But, what was he doing here?! Had he finally decided to join his captors in tormenting his long-time enemy? Or was this yet another hallucination? If so.. at least he'd have some company during the next torture session.

He couldn't stifle the whimper that forcefully tore itself from his throat at the thought, his body curling as much as it could where he sat against the cold damp wall of his cell. Except.. the surface of it was too uneven to be that of the by now familiar smooth stone, not to mention it was utterly dry. What was going on? Where was he?

The memories of the last twenty four hours flashed before his eyes: being escorted through the ruins of what used to be his lair, the forest, escaping captivity, falling over the cliff and losing consciousness... His breath quickened and he struggled to push down the overwhelming panic that threatened to overtake him, hands shaking where they lay on the cold stone, dulled claws unknowingly scraping against the hard ground. They would come after him, he knew that. There was no way they would allow their favorite toy to get away. They would find him, and when they did, Aku doubted they'd let his little attempt at an escape to go unpunished. They were probably on his trail at this very moment. He needed to move. Now.

"What are you doing?" Jack asked incredulously as he watched the wounded demon struggle to his feet, leaning heavily against the stone wall for support as his knees buckled, threatening to give out beneath his weight. Never before had his nemesis looked so... weak. Utterly baffled and faintly worried, he reached for his enemy, fingers outstretched - only for the demon to flinch away, eyes wide, a distressed keen escaping his lips as he pressed his back against the wall, trying to put as much distance between himself and the samurai as he possibly could. Onyx eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected reaction, the human instantly jerking his hand away from the other once he sensed his anguish.

"Aku?"

Aku swayed dangerously in one place, darkness edging his vision. He knew that if he continued like this, he would lose consciousness again. Regardless, he pushed himself forward towards what he presumed to be the exit, fueled by sheer desperation alone. The demon needed to get away before his captors could catch up, he needed to remove the accursed chains, he needed-

His legs gave out from beneath him, his whole body wracked with pain that would have wrung a weak cry out of his chest if he hadn't managed to suppress it, his eyes clenching tightly shut. In his panic he hadn't noticed his injuries reopen, obsidian blood drenching the white fabric of the bandages wrapped around his torso, thick drops of it dripping down and staining the stone floor below.

Strong arms wrapped around him before he could come into contact with the hard ground, the hold impossibly gentle and kind. The demon was not fooled by it. He writhed desperately against the other's hold, tried to get as far away as possible, blind panic lacing his movements. "Get off me, samurai!" He snarled, hoping against hope that his anger concealed the fear in his voice. Thankfully, it seemed to work.

Jack released him, allowing him to collapse heavily to the ground, hissing and whimpering at the hurt the impact caused to radiate through his broken body, glaring at the human with as much heat as he could muster and failing horribly, face contorted in a pained grimace. Those familiar onyx eyes narrowed in obvious frustration, the human crossing his arms over his chest, body tense. "Aku, I am trying to help you."

"I do not need your aid," the demon snapped, struggling to rise to his feet, vision blurry. He couldn't afford to spend any more time here, they were no doubt already on his trail. It was only a matter of time before they caught up to him..

When the human reached out to steady him, he lashed out, dulled claws swiping through the cold air with a sharp, whistling sound, only narrowly meeting the other's outstretched fingers and leaving no marks. Unfortunately, the action registered as a threatening one with Jack's instincts.

Within moments Aku found himself pinned against the wall, staring at the sharp edge of the sword, the human's hand wrapping tightly around his throat just beneath the golden collar restricting most of his powers.

The world slowed down around him, all of his attention focusing on the threatening blade, watching in horror as it slowly morphed into a dagger, the gold encrusted handle glinting malevolently in the dim light of the cave. The hand holding him was different now as well, larger, rougher.. more cruel. No, this couldn't be real. No, no, not again!

Aku turned his head away as much as he could, shuddering in the other's grasp, a by now familiar wetness building up in the corners of his eyes. He didn't even bother to fight, knowing that it would only prolong his suffering. The words spilled from his lips automatically, even though the demon knew that no amount of begging would grant him mercy. "Please... please don't. Don't!" His breathing quickened until he was practically hyperventilating, eyes sliding shut as he prepared for the overwhelming agony that would no doubt follow.

He didn't even notice as he was suddenly released, collapsing to the stone floor in a heap, claws scrabbling feebly for some purchase, for something he could use to ground himself.

The human knelt before him and the demon flinched away when the other reached out to softly steady him, onyx eyes wide with horror and sympathy. "Aku?" Gentle fingers brushed against his shoulder, the slight caress soothing and at the same time non-invasive, out of the way.

The demon shuddered in his hold.

"Aku, look at me."

Afraid of the ramifications should he refuse his captor's order, Aku forced himself to open his eyes, looking up at the human kneeling before him.

"That's it. You're alright. You're okay," Jack whispered, his other hand grasping Aku's flexing claws with surprising kindness, face pale. "Just breath. Focus on my voice."

The demon did so as best he could, struggling to push down the panic consuming him, fervently pouring all of his focus on the human's soothing words. Gradually, his breathing slowed, his trembling lessened though it did not stop completely. Jack didn't budge from his spot even though the position he was in had to be far from comfortable, never stopping in his calming caresses. Aku did his best to ignore the sad look in those familiar eyes, shame washing over him at his own weakness.

"Still haven't learned your lesson, I see," the ringleader's voice, loud and clear, rang in his mind, wringing a low whimper from his abused throat. "No matter, I will break you eventually." And he had made good on that promise, hadn't he? Aku used to be the most powerful being in the universe. He had feared no one, he had made others fear him. But now here he was, huddling against the cave wall like a frightened child, being comforted by his greatest enemy. Disgusting, shameful.. pathetic.

He curled up, hiding his face into his own arms, no longer able to look at the human kneeling before him in the eye. Jack didn't stop him, his hand stilling momentarily in its movements before hesitantly resuming, Aku unconsciously leaning into the comforting touch, all aggression gone and baring the fear and hurt festering beneath.

They sat in silence like that for a long time, the human and the demon, sworn enemies for many, many years, neither daring to move or say anything for fear of causing another clash. At some point, the samurai began to hum an old tune from an ancient country, one that no longer existed upon the Earth, his hand curling in silent support around the demon's claws.

To their mutual surprise, the former overlord allowed it.

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

Aku barely slept that night, his rest disturbed by nightmares. Jack stayed by his side, gently shushing him whenever he began to stir, his heart clenching in his chest in sorrow at every small whimper, every whispered plea for mercy.

It felt strange to see the demon this way, unnatural. Aku had always been proud and arrogant, constantly reveling in his own strength and ridiculing everyone else, considering them to be beneath and inferior to him. To see him so hurt, injured and absolutely terrified felt wrong. Even though Jack had spent most of his life trying to kill the demon, he knew he couldn't do so now, no matter how much he resented him for what he'd done in the past.

The human had thought it was a ploy at first, when he'd stumbled on the unconscious demon in the winter forest, following the distant sound of what seemed to be a small explosion. Aku had tricked him before and underestimating the demon's cunning was highly unwise. However, when he'd heard shouting, the words uttered in a language he could not understand, he'd taken the demon along with him anyway, afraid of what would happen to the people to whom the voices belonged to should Aku see them once he awoke. Covering his tracks had become a habit over the years he'd spent running from the dark being's bounty hunters, so he lost the curious civilians rather quickly. Now he had to wonder if they were peaceful passerby at all...

He'd noticed the chains and multiple injuries immediately, most notably the missing horns that were usually crowning the demon's head, but had easily dismissed them, as well as the fact that his arch-enemy was no taller than the average human rather than his usual towering self. They seemed like only parts of Aku's deception back then and he was just desperate to get the two of them as far away as possible before the demon finally chose to attack him. Looking at them now, knowing they were all too real and not an illusion, made him feel sick.

He hadn't expected the reaction he got when the demon finally stirred, had not anticipated the other to start whimpering and clawing in his sleep, twitching desperately as if to escape someone's grasp. Now that he looked back, it brought him no small amount of shame that he did not immediately recognize the signs for what they really were, still expecting some kind of trick and thus, keeping his sword close and at the ready. When he did finally realize what had happened, it seemed to distress the demon even more.

It had taken him a while to calm Aku after what had obviously been a flashback triggered by his own blade, it had taken him even longer to convince the other that they were truly safe and to allow him to tend to his wounds. Whatever the demon's captors has used while torturing the other, it was vastly different from the samurai's sword. Where his blade had cut through the other's essence like paper, the unknown weapon had caused it to melt instead, giving the impression of blood Jack had witnessed when Aku had tried to escape the cavern. The golden bonds strapped around the demon's wrists and neck were obviously significantly restraining most of his powers, including his regeneration. The human still had no ideas on how to remove them, or whether he should even try in the first place. Even before captivity the other had been highly volatile and with the recent trauma, giving him full access to his powers could be nothing short of catastrophic. Although, it could make him feel safer, more in control.

Regardless, he had no means of removing them and after witnessing Aku's reaction to his sword, he was not about to draw it any time soon again in the other's presence.

Those thoughts running through his mind, his gaze wandered around the vast cavern they were currently staying in, finally stopping on the curled up figure of his long-time enemy.

Aku sat by the fire, his back to the human warrior. Even without having a clear view of the demon's face, Jack knew that the other was awake. He had not been able to even attempt to fall asleep after the last night terror. As if sensing his stare on his essence, the former overlord tilted his head to glance at him, his shoulders seeming oddly bare without their usual sharp edges. He looked away quickly, allowing the other some privacy. Thankfully, Aku chose not to question his odd behavior, instead focusing on edging as close to the fire as possible without burning himself in his vulnerable state.

That was odd as well. His enemy had never shown a particular liking for bright lights and warmth, preferring the shadows instead. He had been born from them, it was only natural that he'd feel more in his element in the dark. Now though... It felt as though Aku feared it instead, inching closer and closer to the fire, shooting apprehensive glances at the surrounding darkness, the pitiful remains of his horns lowering and his dulled claws clenching tightly around his upper arms.

The sight filled him with profound sadness, but he resisted the urge to approach the demon, to offer him comfort, ask him about what had happened to him. He'd heard news that the demon had locked himself away in his tower and when rumor spread about the lair no longer being accessible to visitors over a year ago only assumed that it was because of Aku's cowardice and growing paranoia. He never would've thought... never would've even suspected that the other had been captured and held captive instead. It seemed so ludicrous, so... impossible.

In the end, exhaustion took over despite his heightened awareness and the samurai drifted off, leaning back against the cold stone behind him, sword held close

When he awoke several hours later to the sounds of muffled sobs, he hauled himself to his feet without complaint, approaching the huddled figure and gently shushing the distressed demon even though he knew his efforts would not be appreciated in the morning.

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

The snow crunched loudly beneath their feet as they walked, glowing eerily in the bright moonlight, the dead forest seeming almost.. ghostly around them.

Three humans cautiously made their way through the deserted woods, the strong gusts of wind nearly managing to make one them lose their balance and fall, had his companion not helped to steady him, his face concealed entirely by the heavy furs he wore.

The tracks they were following stopped at the edge of a small cliff.

Signaling for his companions to stand back, the tallest of the three cautiously ventured forward, testing the stability of the stone beneath before stepping more comfidently onto the narrow ridge.

Dark eyes sought out the minuscule black drops they had been following thus far, noticing several staining the very edge, though there were no signs of his target on the other side. No matter how much he squinted, the human couldn't find a single speck of obsidian on the ground below, no signs of the wounded creature he was trying to hunt down. Even if there had been clues to the other's whereabouts, the wind that had been steadily increasing during the last three hours of their search would've covered them all up by now.

A frustrated yell wrung itself from his throat, his fist colliding with a nearby tree, the thin trunk swaying from the strong impact and spooking the few birds that had been perched on its bare branches.

The human's two companions took a cautious step back, watching apprehensively as their leader fumed, pacing back and forth along the edge of the tiny cliff.

"He's gone, Khürel" One of them said after a few minutes, finally gathering enough courage to do so, flinching back as his raging companion turned in his direction, eyes practically glowing blue with rage beneath his large hood. "We'll never find him like this. Wouldn't it be more wise to return to the Tower? We could try and track him from there."

The ringleader said nothing for the longest time, body still shaking with barely controlled rage and frustration before giving a reluctant nod. It was obvious to the others that he wanted to refuse, to continue their search, but common sense won over in the end.

With a flick of a wrist, a portal opened before them, his two companions instantly stepping through it, desperate to get out of the freezing weather. The ringleader lingered however, his eyes scanning the desolate landscape, face contorted in an ugly snarl of anger.

"We'll find you, Aku," he whispered, eyes glinting malevolently beneath his hood. "And when we do, you won't be getting away so easily."


	2. Chapter 2

The sun emerged slowly from behind the misty, distant mountain peaks towering over the winter forest, bathing the previously dark woods in a soft rosy light. Despite having seen this scene many, many times during his lifetime, the samurai still found it within himself to be transfixed by the breathtaking beauty of his surroundings, watching as the sky slowly turned from navy to violet to red. Being on the run, constantly fighting off beetle drones, bounty hunters and a certain demon made you forget about the simplest of life's pleasures. How long has it been since he'd last enjoyed a quiet morning watching in relative peace as the sun appeared from beyond the horizon, waking the world from its short slumber? Too long. He hadn't been able to truly enjoy himself ever since he'd been flung into the future all those long years ago.

Sighing, he slowly rose to his feet, a soft groan wringing itself past his lips as he felt his muscles contract in a vicious cramp. He instinctively rolled his shoulders to lessen some of the discomfort, grimacing slightly at the pain. It wasn't anything he hadn't grown used to, however. Sleeping on hard surfaces had unfortunately become a regular occurrence in his life ever since he'd made the difficult decision to stay away from the larger cities as much as possible for fear of putting any innocents there at risk. Aku was- had been unpredictable back then. Leveling an entire city or using hostages in order to get at the human warrior hadn't seemed that far fetched of an idea at the time.

His daily morning exercise would alleviate the pain soon enough..If only his companion's suffering could be taken away just as easily…

His eyes instantly fell on the curled up figure next to the now extinguished campfire, watching in silence as the wounded demon shivered in his sleep from the chilly winter air, the black chest, now hidden by layers of thick fabric, rising and falling evenly for perhaps the first time during the long, trying night.

It hadn't been an easy feat to convince the other to rest, not after what he had gone through, not with the threat of being found and recaptured. His heart clenched in his chest at the memory of last night.

Aku had been _terrified_. Terrified of waking up a prisoner again, terrified of going back to feeling unimaginable pain, petrified at the very idea of closing his eyes in case he was attacked by his former captors.

Nothing Jack said could ever soothe his fears.

The human shook his head, trying to forget the way the other had flinched at his touch, claws clenching helplessly and digging deep into the demon's palms, the golden bands around the thin black wrists glowing malevolently in the dark as if taunting the other, acting as bitter reminders of what he had been through. Jack hadn't missed the way Aku's gaze seemed to be drawn to them, how his breath would stall in his battered chest and how the remains of his horns would lower in visible anguish and distress at the mere sight of them. He did his best to redirect the demon's attention away from the restraints each time, speaking to Aku in low tones, his fingers wrapping softly around trembling claws with the other's permission as he did his best to keep him in the present instead of allowing the other to succumb to his memories.

As bizarre as it sounded, it upset him, seeing his nemesis like this. The demon used to be so self-assured, so confident in his abilities and his place in the world. Arrogant. Powerful. Practically invincible. Now he was none of those things. Everything that made Aku.. well, _Aku_, was gone. Buried deep beneath layers upon layers of fear, pain and degradation. As if that wasn't enough, even his pride had been stolen from him. And that saddened him the most.

Even though Jack still harbored a lot of pent-up anger and hate for the demon now lying wounded on the stone floor, he had learned to respect him over the years they had spent fighting each other as well. Had taught himself to admire Aku's cunning and intelligence as well as his powers. If he hadn't, he would've almost certainly wound up dead a long time ago. Because of that at least as well as his compassion, he found himself able to pity the other, genuinely wished that he could help him.

The demon shifted in his sleep, a low whimper escaping his throat as he curled up just a fraction tighter, dulled claws clenching around his upper arms. Jack went very still, ready to rush to the other's side at the smallest sign of distress, but thankfully after a few seconds of fidgeting Aku seemed to settle, his breathing evening out again.

Some part of him still couldn't quite believe what he was seeing. Somewhere deep down, he still thought it had to be a dream. Aku looked so… weak, helpless, vulnerable even. He'd barely been able to fight back when the human had pinned him effortlessly against the cave wall, his claws grasping weakly at Jack's wrist and ultimately achieving nothing. He hadn't used his shapeshifting or any other powers, hadn't even tried to do something as simple as push him away. If he drew his blade now, the samurai doubted the demon would be able to or would even want to defend himself…

"_Kill him_," a voice whispered in his ear, soft and deceptively quiet, causing a shiver to run down his spine. "_Remember what he did to you._"

Jack grasped at his head in pain as the deafening screams of his fellow villagers suddenly echoed in his ears, nearly drowned out by the sounds of crackling flames and collapsing buildings. Aku's laughter, terrible and raucous, rumbled in the background.

"_Mother! Aku has returned! Do as we have planned, our future depends on it!_" His father's voice… he would recognize it anywhere. Screaming for his wife to grab their son and only hope of defeating the demon attacking them and run. He could almost see the crashing buildings around him, the bright, orange glow of the burning flames nearly blinding him before he could hide his face into his mother's clothes, unable to stop himself from coughing as he struggled not to inhale the smoke surrounding them.

He didn't have to look to know that Aku's razor sharp claws were tearing through the leftover houses that managed to remain standing, violently yanking them from their foundations and dropping them on the unfortunate civilians trying to escape the burning city. Didn't have to see the demon's face to know that the other was enjoying the chaos, panic and death that he was spreading. Didn't need to be able to hear over the cacophony of screams and crashing buildings to realize that Aku never stopped laughing.

It'd be so easy to end this, put an end to his torment once and for all… Just a quick, clean blow to the demon's chest. The other probably wouldn't even feel it, much less have time to stop the blade from piercing him. One blow… and it would all be over.

"_Dispose of him,_" the voice whispered, and he didn't even notice how his fingers slowly reached for the all too familiar handle of his blade, pulling the sword out of its sheath. "_End it.. You will never get a chance like this again.._"

Aku stirred once more, dulled claws scraping against the hard stone and the samurai froze, only now realizing to his growing horror that he was no longer standing by the mouth of the cave as he had originally, but was instead towering over the broken form of the wounded demon, his weapon poised perfectly over the center of the other's chest, mere inches from sinking itself deep into Aku's very core.

Onyx eyes widening in shock, he stumbled back, quickly sheathing his blade before he could do anything to harm the former overlord. He'd… He'd been about to kill him. If Aku hadn't moved when he did, he would be…

Jack rubbed at his temples, feeling an intense ache build up and resonate through his entire skull, horror wrapping its cold claws around his heart. He had almost killed a helpless being…

Aku sat up with a sharp gasp, chest heaving. Despite still being somewhat distracted by his own horrific actions, the samurai did not miss the brief flash of fear in those eyes before their surroundings could fully register with the demon's sleep-addled senses, an irate hiss leaving the other's green lips as he quickly lifted a single clawed hand to shield his stinging eyes from the blinding sunlight streaming into the small confines of the cavern. He didn't miss the way those dark claws trembled, or how exhausted his nemesis still looked. That last part shouldn't have been all that surprising. Aku had barely slept, only achieving two to three hours of rest before the morning sun managed to wake him. That was far from enough, even for an immortal being like the demon sitting before him.

"Good morning, Aku," he greeted softly as soon as he was confident that he was in total control of his own body, forcing himself to let go of the sword's handle. The demon flinched at the sound of his voice, quickly turning to look at him, eyes wide.

Something flashed across the other's face, there and gone in a second before the samurai could place the exact emotion he'd seen, eyebrows sparking feebly, failing to ignite. Once he realized that he was not alone, Aku seemed to instantly withdraw into himself, expression going blank and his body instinctively curling to shield his bandaged midsection. It was a conditioned response, one that Jack had seen many times but had never been as saddened by as in that moment. Because he least expected to ever witness it in someone like the former overlord. The other was trying to protect himself by attempting to dissociate from reality. The samurai's very presence meant pain and torment for Aku.

A heavy silence fell between them, each of them carefully watching the other, gauging for any signs of aggression or deceit.

When it was obvious that the demon was not about to speak, Jack cautiously stepped forward, stopping a few meters away so as not to crowd the traumatized creature. Aku visibly tensed even further at the slow and careful motion, claws scraping anxiously against the stone ground. Jack couldn't help, but notice that they were no longer pitch black as he had assumed at first, but instead a dark shade of gray. Just like the rest of Aku, now that he looked closer. It made the demon seem somewhat discolored, sickly even.

His heart clenched in sorrow at the sight.

"I… would like to check your injuries," the samurai began, choosing his words carefully all the while keeping his voice soft and gentle. "They could have reopened during the night."

"I am capable of tending to my own wounds, sa-mu-rai," the demon hissed, though his tone came off more as defensive rather than threatening as he'd obviously intended it to, baring his curved fangs in a snarl. He tried to rise to his feet and failed horribly, body still too weak to properly obey his commands, wringing a frustrated growl from his abused throat.

Jack let out a deep sigh, slowly inching himself closer, making sure that Aku could see his every movement until he was kneeling before the other. He ignored the way the demon snarled at him, claws weakly covering his wrapped midsection before the samurai softly batted them away, assessing the white fabric strips he'd wrapped around the other the day before. Aku's warning growl went ignored. The human hadn't been pushed away yet, meaning that the other's defiance was only for show and that his rival was still far too weak to attack him. He supposed he should be grateful for that at least.

Jack's brows furrowed as he carefully unwrapped the makeshift bandages, deft fingers slipping between the layers upon layers of thick fabric, wincing and murmuring comforting words of sympathy whenever the demon hissed or grunted in pain despite doing his best to remain silent, dark claws raking against the cold stone with an unpleasant scraping noise. He couldn't make the process entirely painless for the other, but he could be as cautious and empathetic as possible as he removed the day old wrappings.

Thankfully, it didn't seem like anything had reopened during the night, which was somewhat surprising, considering the other's violent thrashing in his sleep. They didn't appear to be all that infected either, causing him to let out a deep breath of relief as he possessed no current means of treating them. However, they still needed to be cleaned just to make sure and rewrapped again. And he would have to do that every day, if not every few hours. It would be difficult though, he didn't deny that. Knowing Aku and suspecting what he had been through, the demon would not appreciate having his personal space invaded that often. His privacy had been violated enough.

Sighing, he slowly took out a flask he'd managed to acquire during his travels, softly handing it to the wounded demon, ignoring the way the other recoiled at the unexpected movement, eyeing him suspiciously. Aku snatched the flask from his hand, quickly scooting away to put as much distance between them as possible, wincing all the while from the pain the sudden action caused him. Jack allowed him, somewhat relieved to see the other acting just a little bit like his old self, redirecting his attention to the small hare he had managed to catch and allowing the other to tend to himself in relative peace.

It wasn't much. Prey was scarce in winter to begin with and it became even more scarce when it was scared off by a loud commotion. Such as the explosion that had led him to the demon in the first place. But it was still better than nothing, he'd gotten used to going days without any food and little to no water by now. Perhaps he'd make an exception just this once and seek shelter in a nearby city considering the… circumstances. He glanced at the demon huddled against the far cave wall out of the corner of his eye.

Aku was doing his best to clean his wounds, his face contorted in a grimace of pain, but the samurai could see that he was being overly ginger and careful as he applied the water Jack had given him, curved fangs clenched tight. It was clear that he was doing this for the first time, having relied for so long on his advanced regeneration to do the work for him. The painful memories associated with the received injuries were obviously not helping matters either.

He held himself back from helping the other for as long as he could, reigniting the fire and preparing the hare to be cooked, subtly keeping an eye on his rival the entire time. Unable to stop himself from feeling sorry for the wounded demon, the human eventually rose to his feet when he was done with the food, slowly approaching the other, his hands kept visible at all times. Aku's gaze instantly snapped toward him as he drew closer, lips curling in a threatening growl. The action lacked the usual heat and that disturbed him.

"Here," he gently took the flask from the demon's claws, somewhat surprised that the other did not resist him. "Let me help you."

Aku's eyes narrowed dangerously, but he did not fight him when Jack drew closer, though he did not exactly do anything to aid him either. The samurai wisely opted to ignore the other's difficult behavior. At least the demon wasn't actively struggling against him, or allowing the human to do whatever he wanted without complaint. Hurt as he obviously was, at least there was still something there left of Aku.

The demon hissed through clenched fangs as the human carefully poured water over one of the larger stab wounds, twitching where he sat huddled against the cave wall. "I know it hurts, but, please, try to be still, Aku," the human shushed him, gently grasping the other's no longer spiked shoulder to steady him as he directed his attention to the next deep laceration marring the other's chest.

The demon forcefully wrenched his shoulder out of his grip, teeth bared. "Do not tell me what to do, samurai!" He snapped, clawing at the wall behind him in order to hoist himself up and sit a little straighter. Jack instinctively tightened his fingers around the precious flask he'd managed to find in case the movement would jar and spill the remaining liquid over the two of them. However, as it turned out, he didn't necessarily need to do that. Aku moved sharply enough to come across as defiant, but at the same time carefully enough to avoid touching the human in any way, afraid of retaliation.

Jack's dark eyes narrowed, but he managed to reign in his irritation, leaning over the other as soon as the demon went still again, carefully clearing the golden cuts of any small debris that may have entered them despite the bandages that had been wrapped tightly around the other's midsection. He managed to push down the nausea at the sight of the deep wounds, but he couldn't stop his fingers from trembling where they held onto the scavenged flask. Who could do something like this to another being, even if it was Aku? Who could be sadistic enough, evil enough to hurt someone like this? Not because of money, not because of revenge, but for the joy of it? The only person capable of doing such a heinous deed was the wounded demon sitting before him. That was what he'd always believed at least. Perhaps deep down he was still the same naive child, desperate to save his people from what he perceived to be the ultimate evil.

Setting the now empty flask aside, he reached into the folds of his gi and retrieved a small roll of white fabric he'd bought roughly a year ago to use as bandages. Aku's hitmen had been merciless back then and escaping without sustaining some form of injury had been next to impossible. Unwilling to compromise his own attire to staunch the oftentimes heavy bleeding, he had had to search for other options. Little did he know that he wouldn't be truly needing it for a long time yet.

Now that he looked back, it had been foolish of him not to realize something was wrong with his rival. It wasn't all that strange to not encounter the demon himself for long periods of time, considering the other's cowardice and periodic trips to conquer new worlds, but Aku had always made sure to keep him on his toes, constantly sending bounty hunters and machines designed to kill after him while he worked on yet another scheme to end the samurai's life. He should have deduced that something had happened when the attacks suddenly ceased and he was left alone for an entire year. Oh, he'd gotten into fights all right as he did his best to free as much people as possible from the demon's tyranny, but he no longer had had to tirelessly fight for his life every day until his bones ached and blood dripped down his face.

However, he'd been too relieved to notice, too grateful for the temporary respite to suspect that something was wrong. If he had, would he have been able to stop it before it was too late? No, there was no point in lingering on the past now. He couldn't change anything then, but he could change something now.

Aku didn't resist him as he gently coaxed the demon to sit up a little straighter, wounding the fabric tightly but not painfully so around the other's midsection. Tying the ends of the bandages in a secure knot, he withdrew, allowing the former overlord the chance to finally relax as he put some

distance between them. Aku's dark claws hovered over the new wrappings, hesitating, before finally settling lightly on his stomach, the demon bracing himself before shifting again, leaning back against the cold cave wall. Jack attempted to meet the other's gaze, tried to understand what he was thinking, but Aku avoided glancing at him, his eyes glassy and the look in them distant.

Understanding that the other probably needed time to himself to think, the human allowed the former overlord some privacy, retreating back to the campfire.

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

He couldn't understand it. Nothing made sense in his life anymore.

Why did the samurai comfort him? Why did he care about him? Why, after everything the demon had put him through, did the human still find the strength to put his hatred aside in order to help him?

Aku knew he didn't deserve it. His long list of conquests and destruction was sufficient proof of that. And he especially did not earn Jack's aid of all people. Out of everyone, he'd probably hurt the samurai the most. So why? What could be the reason behind his former rival's actions?

His wounds ached. The slight pain was a far cry from the burning agony he'd grown used to experiencing on a daily basis. Some part of him was disturbed at how odd he found that now. How strange it felt not to be constantly hurt, beaten, humiliated as a soft voice whispered poison in his ear.

His claws cautiously felt at the white bandages wrapped around his torso, feeling the soft texture beneath his fingertips. They were different from what he'd become accustomed to as well. Warm, pleasant, not wound around him with almost bone-crushing force. There had to be some reason behind the samurai's actions. It didn't make sense for him to be so.. nice when both of them knew that Aku didn't deserve it. Only... what exactly could he want? And how long would it take before he decided to torment him too?

"_I am still being merciful, you know,_" the ringleader's voice echoed in his head, soft and vile, the ghostly feeling of cruel fingers traveling down his side in a deceptive caress making the demon shudder. "_You should be thankful really. You deserve much, much worse than this._"

Shut up.

His breath stalled in his wounded chest and Aku began to tremble uncontrollably, eyes sliding slowly shut.

"_You deserve to be treated like the monster you are._"

Shut up!

"Do you honestly believe anyone will ever help you? After what you've done? Please. They will all laugh at you. In fact, I am quite certain that they will all be ecstatic at the chance of punishing you. Especially the samurai."

Shut up! Shut up! **SHUT UP**!

The demon's whole body spasmed, curling inwards, his dark claws grasping at the sides of his head to the point of pain.

He could practically feel the other's sadistic gaze on his dark essence. Could see the ringleader smiling down at him, the dagger glinting malevolently in the dim light as long fingers continued to almost flippantly play with the gold encrusted handle.

"_You are fortunate that I will never let them touch what is mine._"

Something brushed lightly against his shoulder and Aku shrieked, his back pressing flat against the cave wall as he lurched away from the unexpected touch, eyes snapping open and instantly zeroing in on the human figure now standing over him.

"Aku? Aku, please, calm down. It is only me," Jack murmured soothingly, slowly sinking to one knee so that he was no longer towering over the other, hands held clasped in his lap and visible at all times. The demon only whimpered in reply. "It is alright, I am not going to hurt you." Aku didn't want to believe him, the vile voice of his former captor still whispering in his ear, but something compelled him to trust the other, allowing the samurai to gently help him to his feet and herd him to the comforting heat the fire provided. That was odd as well. He'd never been allowed anywhere near the torches during his captivity or never felt enough confidence to do so, fearing his captor's wrath. He had been forced to live in the dark, in the cold for so long..

Aku was startled when something was gently pushed into his claws, looking down to see a small piece of cooked meat. When he looked up, the samurai was already sitting opposite him, his own fingers wrapped around a similar morsel. Catching the demon's gaze, Jack nodded towards the food, eyes gentle. "Eat, Aku." Aku forced himself to growl at him, unused to such kind treatment and desperate to seem somewhat like his old self, but was too baffled to pull it off completely, looking back down at the meat cradled in his dark claws. Only now did he realize just how hungry he really was.

The human could only watch in astonishment as the demon wolfed down his small meal, the hare portion he'd given him disappearing within seconds. Truth be told, he had been unsure whether Aku could eat or not and whether he even felt the need to do so. Out of politeness and care, he'd decided to share what he'd managed to catch, fully expecting the other's mirth. What he absolutely had not expected, was for the demon to practically lunge at the offered food as if he hadn't eaten in days. No, it had to be longer than that, didn't it? Whoever had held Aku hostage most likely didn't feed or offer anything to provide the other with energy on purpose.

Appetite vanishing in an instant at the thought, Jack sighed, pushing his own portion in the demon's direction. Aku's gaze instantly snapped towards him, flicking between the meat and his face in obvious shock and question. The human nodded in silent encouragement, urging him to accept the offered food and the other reached out, dark claws slowly reaching out and then swiftly grabbing the small morsel, as if afraid that he would suddenly change his mind and take it away from him. The samurai frowned slightly at that, but chose not to comment on it, looking out at the azure sky outside.

They had to start moving soon. He didn't usually stay in one place for too long in case he was being tracked, made a habit of it even when the demon's attacks had ceased due to his captivity. Now, with Aku injured and traumatized and his captors no doubt desperate to reclaim him as their prisoner, it was vital that they kept changing locations as much and as quickly as possible. That and he was desperate to get out of the winter forest, the cold becoming worse with each passing day. A storm was approaching, he could practically feel it in the air and the last thing they needed was to get caught up in it.

However, he couldn't exactly take Aku into the city. Not out of fear of what the other could do, but more because he was unsure of how he would disguise the demon's appearance. He didn't know what abilities Aku was still capable of using, or if he could even utilize any in his shackled state. Even if he asked, Jack doubted he'd receive an honest answer, the demon reluctant to show just how vulnerable he was now, especially to his greatest enemy. Even though he understood the other's decision and the reasons behind it, that didn't mean that the samurai wasn't at least slightly frustrated by it.

Others wouldn't hesitate to take advantage of Aku's state. Once rumor spread that the demon was injured and incapacitated, his powers locked away by the collar strapped around his throat, they wouldn't be dealing with just bounty hunters on their trail. Aku had hurt many people over the years, most of which still harbored the same anger and hatred that he did. But unlike Jack, they had no morals or compassion holding them back from harming the other.

Taking his former rival into the city without some means of hiding his features would be condemning the demon to a death sentence. For if Aku's captors had found means of hurting the other, who was to say that other people couldn't do so as well? It would seem that his perception had been wrong and Jack's sword was not the entity's only weakness.

Until they could remove the chains, Aku's safety was in the samurai's hands. Problem was, he wasn't even sure if he wanted to free the other in the first place.

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

Something about the winter forest surrounding them made Aku anxious. Out of the corner of his eyes, Jack could see the demon constantly watching his surroundings, his head swiveling this way and that as if expecting someone to jump out and ambush them at any given second. Every sound of cracking and falling branches made Aku flinch, every crunch of snow beneath their feet made him shudder, his claws to tremble at his sides. The human could only guess that the other's overly alert state was because of his recent escape, the demon's senses fooling him into believing that he was still being hunted. But something also told him however that that wasn't entirely the case. The woods were bringing out other unpleasant memories besides the recent ones. Could it be that Aku had been captured in similar circumstances in the first place? It had been over a year...

His heart clenched at the thought.

The wind steadily picked up as they walked, sweeping up snow into the air, and he couldn't stop himself from shivering, eyes clenching shut to shield them from the small white particles, his hands curling where he'd hidden them in the folds of his gi. The demon didn't seem to be faring any better than he was, but that was a small consolation if any, Jack still hyper aware of the other's injuries.

They needed to find shelter as soon as possible. Fortunately, he'd spotted smoke nearby when they were making their way over a small hill. They would hide in the village that no doubt lay there for the time being, just until the storm, which seemed to be coming much sooner than he had expected, could pass. Thankfully, he needn't have worried about disguising the demon as much as he had back in the cave.

Aku fiddled with the worn winter cape that had been draped over his thin shoulders, his face concealed entirely by the overly large hood. Jack had worried that his horns would prove to be difficult to hide, accustomed to the demon being able to heal any injuries he sustained within seconds, but it seemed that that ability had been locked away completely as well. As awful as it sounded, that currently worked to their advantage.

"We are nearing the village," Jack informed the other, his sharpened hearing easily picking up the distant, familiar sounds of cheerful chatter and children's laughter. Relief washed over him. If there were children there, then perhaps the villagers were more or less peaceful. The last thing they needed was an encounter with a bounty hunter. He was skeptical of the idea that Aku's captors had taken down all of Jack's wanted posters.

The samurai fully expected the demon to sneer at him, inform him of his own superiority by stating that he'd heard the village sounds far earlier than the human did, but the other remained silent, merely dipping his head slightly in acknowledgment, refusing to look at his long-time enemy. The lack of bragging worried him, but the implications behind the removal of the other's horns even more so.

He'd learned quite by accident a few years ago that Aku used them as advanced hearing devices, able to tune in on even the smallest heartbeat with frightening ease no matter what obstruction lay in his path. It was one of the reasons he'd never been able to truly hide from the other, even when he'd learned to disguise his scent. The demon had been very proud of this aspect of himself too, practically preening whenever one of his subjects would praise his horns in order to get into the entity's good graces. Now that they had been removed, could that mean that Aku's hearing was... impaired? No, he'd been able to hear Jack just fine whenever he'd spoken to him and he obviously heard such small sounds as cracking branches and crunching snow. But perhaps he was no longer able to hear on a level that he was accustomed to? That would definitely explain why he was constantly scanning their surroundings, why he seemed somewhat off-balance as he walked.

Anger washing over him like a giant wave, the human looked away, no longer able to stand looking at his wounded rival, hands shaking in rage where they were hidden in the folds of his gi. When he found Aku's captors he'd-

The loud sounds of conversation snapped him from his increasingly dark thoughts and he looked up, surprised. They'd reached the village far sooner than he had expected them to.

The tavern turned out to be rather easy to locate. It was one of the largest buildings in the small town square, decorated by green garlands and flashing lights. The villagers were obviously celebrating something, but what exactly he wasn't sure. Because of his quest to end the demon's reign, Jack hadn't really had the time and energy to familiarize himself with all the new traditions and festivities of Earth's odd inhabitants.

Due to the sheer amount of people gathering in the tiny streets, he made sure to walk as close to Aku as possible, worried that the demon would accidentally give himself away or succumb to panic in the dense throng of villagers. Thankfully, the former overlord seemed to realize the full gravity of his situation, keeping his head down and his face hidden in the shadow of his hood as they navigated the crowds to the tavern's doors.

Inside, the air was warm and filled with the pleasant smells of fresh pastry and cooked meat, the fire crackling in the large fireplace, nearly drowned out by the sounds of clinking glasses, cheers and laughter. They didn't receive many odd looks as they made their way to the counter, the patrons too busy celebrating to pay much attention to the strange newcomers or too drunk to do so, beer and other drinks the human wasn't familiar with splashing onto the polished surfaces of elegant tables and the stone floor.

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

The owner of the establishment turned out to be a plump woman in her late 50s, her round face as warm as her tavern's atmosphere, her light blue eyes kind as she looked at the young man standing before her, requesting a room for the night. Something about him was vaguely familiar, she could've sworn she'd seen him somewhere before, but with the festivities going on around her, the woman found that she really couldn't be bothered to search her memories for where she could've glimpsed the other's face.

The man thanked her profusely when she handed him a small card and she couldn't hold back a smile at his politeness. It was a rare trait nowadays, the vile demon ruling over them seeming to spread his poison everywhere he could. She pushed that thought away as soon as it crossed her mind. No need to sour her mood by thinking about that bastard on a happy day such as this one.

The woman happily gave the other the directions to his room, watching as the young man and his companion that she had not noticed up until that moment walked past her and ascended the stone stairs. A small frown darkened her otherwise pleasant features. What a strange fellow... Hiding his face under a hood and remaining silent the whole time she and his friend were conversing, as if afraid of something. Well, as long as he didn't cause any trouble, the reasons behind his strange behavior were none of her business. Many strange folks came by here, no need to waste time and energy scrutinizing every single one of them.

Still... she could've sworn she'd caught a glimpse of a green face, seen a brief flash of curved fangs...

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

The room they had been provided with was rather pleasant in Jack's opinion. Small, but not unpleasantly so, it held a cozy atmosphere, designed to put weary travelers at ease. A single bed stood in the middle of the room, draped in soft red blankets. Two paintings of what looked to be mountains decorated the walls, adding to the already pleasant atmosphere. There was also a single sofa, a tv and a clothes rack. A door to his left led to another room, a bathroom as he soon discovered.

Enthusiastic at the prospect of having a long shower but unwilling to leave his companion alone for a long period of time, the samurai turned towards Aku, fully intent on speaking to him before seeking refreshment.

However, the demon was already familiarizing himself with their surroundings, eyes narrowed as he surveyed the small room. The human resisted the urge to sigh, fully expecting the other to start complaining in his usual haughty fashion. Fortunately, Aku settles for only snorting in derision, shedding the tattered cape he'd borrowed from his nemesis, curved fangs flashing in the dim light. "It is.. acceptable. For the time being," he said at last and Jack couldn't hold back a small smile of relief, disappearing into the bathroom as soon as he was certain that the other was not about to throw a fit and drag unnecessary attention to the two of them. He'd been worried that Aku would cause a scene downstairs at the sight of the celebration, but the demon thankfully seemed to understand the importance of keeping a low profile, even if it insulted his pride. What was left of it anyway.

When he emerged, from the shower, feeling refreshed for perhaps the first time in many, many months, he instantly knew that something was very, very wrong.

"Aku?"

The demon's back was towards him, but he could practically see the tension in the other's form, the dark claws trembling at the entity's sides, slowly curling and digging deep into his palms. Jack approached him, something cold sinking deep into the pit of his stomach.

"Aku, what's wrong?"

He soon found out what.

The human's gaze fell on the screen of the wall-mounted tv, onyx eyes widening as the demon's cruel eyes stared back at him, mouth curved in a painfully familiar fanged grin.

Beneath the image of the former overlord, bold numbers colored in black stood out against a white background.


	3. Chapter 3

The broadcast went viral with frightening speed. People would stop in the streets, looking up at the large screens adorning the towering buildings with disbelieving eyes, gaping in shock at what they were seeing. An eerie silence swiftly fell upon the large cities, even the pubs that were usually full of loud drunkards went quiet. No one could believe the news they were receiving at that very moment, even as they stared in astonishment at the image of the demon that had ruled over them for so long and the bounty for his head displayed beneath.

This had to be a joke, a ploy. It just couldn't be real...

"Hear me, all citizens of Earth,"a voice said, deep, guttural and utterly human. It came suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, just like Aku's had whenever the overlord wished to remind his subjects of their place. But unlike the other's voice, this one wasn't as rumbling, wasn't monstrous. "My name is Khürel and I am honored to deliver you this message: the demon Aku that has ruled over us all for so many eons.. has fallen." Gasps and exclamations echoed down the streets. Some dropped what they were holding. Even the children, sensing their parents' bewilderment, stopped in their games, looking up at the strange man who had suddenly appeared on the large monitors hanging over their heads.

"I know what you are probably thinking. 'This has to be another one of his tricks'. 'It can't be real'. I can assure, however, that that isn't the case here." The human disappeared and was replaced by a black and white recording. A shocked murmur travelled through the crowds. On the smooth displays the unmistakable form of Aku shuddered, the magical chains wrapped around his throat and wrists glowing in the darkness of what appeared to be a stone cell. They could all see the demon struggle, his arms trembling violently and threatening to buckle as he forced himself upright, his black chest heaving from the strain. When he turned in the direction of the camera, somebody gasped. One of Aku's middle horns had been removed. Golden flecks of disintegrating dark essence fell from the grisly wound.

The ugly image faded away and the man returned, expression grim. "I am sure that the authenticity of the tape will soon be verified. However, now that I have delivered the good news, I unfortunately also have to deliver the bad: the demon has escaped captivity." Angered shouts and disappointed curses sounded from the crowds. Khürel only raised a calming hand. "I can understand your frustration, but now is not the time. I am forced to ask you for your help, as Aku is no doubt hiding among you. This is no reason to panic, however. He is severely weakened and his powers have all been sealed away. Meaning, he is not able to shape-shift or use any of his other devastating abilities. What I need you to do is to search for someone who keeps to the shadows, who deliberately hides his face. To look for someone who's obviously heavily injured. Keep an eye out for a person who shies away from any dense crowds. I understand that these instructions are incredibly vague, but I currently cannot give you anything more. All I ask is for you to be vigilant. Report any possible sightings. Help us end this monster's tyranny once and for all!"

And with that last request, the feed cut off.

All was silent for a long time, eyes glued to the screens even when they were switched on once more, displaying the usual advertisements and newscasts. Nobody moved for a long time. Then, just as suddenly as the broadcast ended, the crowds exploded into triumphant cheers, applause and joyous exclamations. Some people cried, some people screamed. Many were happy, most, who had experienced and survived Aku's takeovers, were skeptical and worried. The children, innocent and naive as they were, rejoiced. They didn't think this could be a trick. Didn't wonder what had been done to their now former ruler. All they cared about was that the nice man said they no longer had to live in fear. They were free.

That night, the whole planet celebrated the fall of the demon who had oppressed them for so long.

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

Jack sensed the incoming panic attack before it even happened.

Aku stumbled back, away from the screen displaying the bounty for his own head, eyes going almost painfully wide and his breath stalling in his battered chest. The samurai's arms instinctively wound around the other's torso before the demon could collapse to the floor, holding him up, his heart clenching in his chest at the sensation of Aku's whole body trembling violently against his own.

Completely disregarding his weakened state in favor of freeing himself, the demon instantly began to struggle against the human's hold, writhing with an almost feral desperation, dull claws shoving the samurai away from him with newfound strength. In spite of Jack's best efforts at keeping him from falling onto the floor, the other managed to eventually slip from his grasp, landing heavily on the hard surface.

A strangled shout wrung itself from demon's throat as pain resonated through his entire being, but despite it Aku was already moving, desperate to get away, to hide. He didn't stop until he felt a wall against his back, his arms winding protectively around his bandaged midsection as he curled into a tight ball where he sat in the corner of the small room, quick, shallow breaths escaping his parted lips.

Jack felt his heart shatter at the sight.

Lowering himself to one knee, he reached out to touch the other, only for his former rival to lurch away from him in uncontrollable fright, pressing even more against the wall behind him, a high-pitched, terrified sound wringing itself past green lips and claws sinking deeply into black palms. The human instantly drew back, out of the demon's personal space, his hands held in his lap and visible at all times.

"Aku?"

"D-do not touch me...," Aku said, voice small and muffled, his face still hidden from the samurai's view. "Just, p-please, do not touch me."

"Alright," Jack murmured soothingly, clasping his fingers in front of him, voice soft and gentle. "I will not touch you."

The demon shuddered, the remains of his horns lowering in obvious fear and distress. He was practically hyperventilating at this point, his chest feeling as if it were being constricted by some unseen force. Aku didn't even notice as his claws clenched into even tighter fists, digging into his own essence and drawing obsidian blood.

This was the end for him, he knew that. How foolish could he have been to actually think he would be able to escape them? Now that the whole planet had been informed of his state, Aku had nowhere to hide. He would be hunted down like an animal, unable to even do so much as defend himself with the accursed chains strapped around his throat and wrists. He was backed into a corner.

There was no way out.

"Aku?" the samurai's voice cut through the confused jumble of panicked thoughts and overwhelming terror like a laser, reluctantly dragging the demon back to reality. "Aku, look at me."

He shook his head in refusal almost feverishly, burying his face into his arms and the meager protection they offered, unwilling to look up and see the joy no doubt displayed on the other's face. Couldn't bear to witness the happiness the demon's misery most likely brought Jack.

His breath stuttered in his wounded chest and he gasped, feeling a familiar wetness swiftly gather in the corners of his eyes.

The human drew back, longing to reach out to the other, to draw him into his arms and comfort him, tell him that everything would be okay even if they both knew that it wouldn't for a long time. The though that it was Aku he was trying to help, a being that, by all accounts, did not deserve his compassion, didn't even cross his mind once. "Do you need anything?" He asked instead, voice soft and gentle, careful not to startle the frightened demon. "Water?" He wasn't sure whether Aku really needed water, being a demon and all, but perhaps drinking the liquid would have the same calming effect on him like it did on humans.

Aku shook his head again in what he assumed to be a refusal and the human nodded, never budging from his spot. "Alright, just breathe now. Follow my lead," he inhaled deeply, waited for the demon to copy his action, before exhaling with a soft whoosh of air. He had to repeat the action several times until Aku's breathing gradually slowed, the trembling lessening though never stopping entirely. Jack stayed with him throughout the long process however, patiently waiting for his former rival to recover, his onyx eyes never leaving the other's form.

"Is it okay if I help you to the couch?" He asked gently as soon as he was sure that the other was not on the verge of a complete breakdown, carefully lifting the demon from where he'd been kneeling on the floor at the other's hesitant nod and guiding him to the sofa, eyes never leaving Aku's face and monitoring his reactions.

The demon refused to meet his gaze. Whether it was out of shame, or because he was reliving his time in imprisonment, Jack didn't really know. One thing was certain however: he had to snap the other out of it somehow.

Aku flinched when the human gently lowered himself on the very edge of the plush surface beside him, curling even tighter around himself and recoiling from the man's touch, desperate to stay as far away as he possibly could. The human didn't try to stop him from doing so, even as sadness washed over him, his hands clasping in his lap. When he spoke again, his voice was just as soft and quiet as before. "Is there anything else you require?" He asked as soon as the other had fully settled on the sofa, the look in those black eyes still dangerously distant. He had to break the demon out of his traumatic memories. Preferably before they could cause another attack. "Aku, please, tell me what I can do to help you."

There was no reply. It was as if Aku hadn't even heard him, the trembling steadily resuming and growing more and more violent with each passing second. That was a very bad sign.

Jack had known that this could happen, had suspected that Aku's captors could possibly resort to this in a desperate bid to reclaim their prisoner, their... 'property' as they no doubt viewed the demon. But he had never been certain. Informing the public of Aku's condition and current status was a very, very risky move on their part.

While including the inhabitants of the planet in their hunt undoubtedly gave them eyes and ears all over Earth, it also drastically lowered the chances of Aku ever falling back into their hands alive. Even with the tremendous amount of money offered for the demon's capture, there would always be those angry enough, vengeful enough to disregard the reward in favor of something else. Something that would turn out far more satisfying in the end than any sum of cash ever could - exacting their own revenge on the creature that had ruined their lives. Not only that, but the deceit that had shrouded every scrap of news the public ever received under Aku's rule and that they had become accustomed to would put 'Khürel' himself at risk. They wouldn't be so eager to believe everything he said just like that. Even with the tape as evidence. Jack's stomach roiled in nausea.

He'd never seen Aku so... hurt, even back in that forest cave. Never even thought he'd see him so weak. So utterly defeated and terrified. The demon had barely been able to haul himself upright on the video, his whole body shaking from the effort of it and his arms threatening to give out. The human hadn't missed the shallow knife wounds and scratches littering what little he could see of Aku's back. Noticed and analyzed the dirty, damp cell that he'd been imprisoned in, his fingers curling into fists in his anger all the while.

But... there had been something else there too. Something Jack now wished with all his heart that he could unsee.

The faint shimmer of tears trickling down the other's face.

It was unlikely that anybody else had seen them. Jack had been trained from a young age to pay constant attention to his surroundings, able to memorize the smallest details and then visualize them in his own mind, forever imprinting them in his own memory. But now, in that small hotel room, after seeing what he'd seen, he wished desperately that he could forget it all.

Anger and sorrow bloomed in his chest.

During the many long years that they had spent fighting each other, Aku had not cried once. Had never shown that Jack affected him in any way. He'd displayed frustration, yes. Anger as well. But never pain or suffering or anguish at his actions. The demon had always made sure to project a strong front, hiding his true emotions behind a mask of cruelty, vicious cunning and even mischief. He'd done everything to disguise who he really was, forcing his opponent to believe that he was an unfeeling monster. And the samurai had fallen for it.

As hard as it was to believe, deep down Aku was just as human as any of them, albeit one with nearly infinite power and a firm belief that his own humanity was a weakness rather than a strength. Jack had missed that. For over twenty years he, believing himself to be able to see through all kinds of deceit, had allowed himself to fall for the demon's greatest lie.

He would never be able to forgive himself for making that mistake.

But someone had been able to see what he had missed and acted upon it, focusing on the demon's deepest insecurities and using them to destroy him from the inside out. If he had realized, if he had been able to focus on anything other than his own anger and thirst for revenge, would he have been able to reach Aku before it was too late? Perhaps they could have even settled their differences without having to kill one another. He could've... could've made Aku see. Before somebody decided to take their revenge on him. Just like he was responsible for those who had suffered under the demon's rule for countless eons, he was now responsible for Aku's pain as well.

Suddenly unable to face his former rival, Jack leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees and his hands clasping before him. He could practically feel the vibrations from the demon's periodic shudders, though the other remained stubbornly silent, face disturbingly blank and the look in his eyes distant. The human didn't need to look to know that Aku's claws were still digging into his own essence, drawing thick drops of obsidian blood. He knew that he had to do something before Aku could injure himself further in an effort to ground himself through pain. But he had promised the other not to touch him, he couldn't exactly snap the other out of it by using physical means. But... perhaps there was another way.

"Aku?" The demon twitched beside him at the sound of his own name, instinctively curling even tighter around himself. Despite the silence, Jack tried again. "Aku, do you think you could describe the room for me?"

"What?!" The demon exclaimed, his attention finally snapping towards the human sitting beside him, shock and confusion obvious in every line of his face. The samurai remained steadfast.

"Describe the room for me," he repeated, voice calm and quiet. "Please, Aku."

The demon stared at him for a long time, eyes narrowed in suspicion and disbelief, but eventually relented to the other's request, turning back to the small room they had been offered for the night. Jack listened patiently and intently as the other began to describe their surroundings, completely disregarding the overly sarcastic tone and gently prompting the other to continue whenever the demon fell silent, his memories threatening to consume him once again. It was vital that he got Aku out of his own head, made him focus on the reality. Fortunately, his idea seemed to work.

Gradually, Aku began to relax, his shoulders falling from their stiff hold and claws unclenching where they had been digging into his own palms. It was a slow process, but eventually the remaining tension left the entity's form entirely as the realization that he was no longer imprisoned and was in fact safe fully sank in. Jack allowed himself a small smile. By making the demon list and describe the objects surrounding him, the samurai had successfully forced his former rival to focus on the here and now, dragging him out of the traumatic memories he'd almost succumbed to.

A trick the human had used on himself many times during the long years he had spent on the run.

Aku seemed to realize this as well, blinking almost owlishly at him, not bothering in the slightest to conceal his surprise. Something flashed across his face, but the demon turned away before Jack could place the exact emotion he'd seen, green jaw clenched.

"Thank you," Aku murmured, voice barely more than a whisper, but still audible nonetheless in the now peaceful silence of the small room.

When the samurai replied, he was equally quiet, a soft, small smile playing at the corners of his lips. "You are welcome, Aku."

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

Water.. There was water everywhere.

Cold, dark and absolutely terrifying, it surrounded him on all sides, burning painfully against his dark essence. Stray bubbles of air brushed against him as he wrenched violently against the chains keeping him submerged, making the demon jolt and struggle even more desperately. No matter how hard he struggled however, he could not break them, the pitiful leftovers of his magic sparking uselessly along his wrists and the golden bands strapped around him. Their eerie golden glow seemed to only make his anxiety rise to worrying levels, his eyes sliding shut so as not to look at the things keeping him powerless and at the complete mercy of his cruel captors.

In that horrible moment, Aku was truly helpless.

Water flooded his lungs the moment he gasped for air that he knew he was not going to receive, his entire chest burning painfully in craving of blessed oxygen he suddenly, desperately needed. He tried to scream, to call for help even, but no sound left his throat, only stray bubbles leaving his mouth and floating up to the surface, leaving him down below.

Cruel, familiar fingers suddenly clamped around his sides, violently dragging him out of the ice cold liquid along with the chains wrapped around his thin, malnourished looking body. Knowing to whom they belonged to and suspecting what the other was about to do, Aku writhed violently in his assailant's hold, dull claws wrapping weakly around a strong wrist in a pathetic attempt to remove the unwanted touch from his discolored form.

The fingers let go just as suddenly as they had wrapped around him and he collapsed to an already painfully familiar stone floor, a strangled shout of pain wringing itself past his lips. He could feel his injuries reopening from the strong impact, soaking his already dripping bandages in obsidian blood. Despite the stabbing pain radiating through his entire midsection, he could still percept the minuscule drops of water burning golden stripes into his dark essence, dripping down to the dusty stone ground below.

His body shuddered as he heaved, water splattering onto the floor as wracking coughs assaulted his broken form, echoing in the dark confines of his personal prison. Unwilling to remain in such a vulnerable position, given his company, his dull claws scrabbled fruitlessly against the cold stone, shaking arms trying to haul his weakened form upright despite the golden lacerations littered across them, rendering them practically useless.

A heavy foot slammed against the small of his back, ruthlessly sending him back down to the floor and pinning him there even as the demon cried out in pain. In fact, the pressure seemed to grow by increments with each passing second, so much so that he worried he would be crushed beneath the weight. The heart-wrenching sounds of Aku's suffering seemed to only egg his assailant on.

"This is where you belong now," a silky voice purred above him, echoing in the demon's ears. Aku jolted, a strangled sounding whimper wringing itself from his bruised throat, absolute terror sinking its claws deep into his very core.

No.. please...

"This is where you were always destined to be. Beneath someone's feet." The foot lifted off of him just as suddenly as it had crashed down upon his broken form. He only had a few seconds to breathe before a large hand seized him by the neck, hauling him up to hold him at arm's length even as he clawed weakly at the offending appendage, dark hands attempting futilely to push the other away. Calloused fingers caressed the golden collar strapped around him almost reverently, the vile band pulsing as it worked on sufficiently restraining his powers.

"There is no greater beauty in this world than seeing you like this.. Weak, powerless and entirely at my mercy.. Just like you were always meant to be."

Eyes going almost painfully wide, Aku struggled against the painful hold with new fervor, a choked sob escaping his lips at those cruel words and his claws wrapping even more frantically around the human's strong wrist.

The fingers suddenly left his neck, allowing him to collapse heavily onto the ground, coughing as the air was knocked out of his chest by the strong impact. The world spinning wildly around him, Aku struggled to push down the powerful feeling of nausea he'd never experienced in his entire existence up until that moment, dragging himself to the wall and pressing tightly against it, shaking in pain and terror.

The sound of his cell door slamming shut made him flinch, pitch black darkness swallowing his broken form within moments.

Somehow, the dark shadows surrounding him were no longer comforting.

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

He woke suddenly, wrenching himself upright until he was sitting on the plush surface of the bed, the wood creaking and rattling quietly from the force of his shaking body.

For a moment he was confused, eyes narrowing as he surveyed his surroundings and his eyebrows sparking weakly, failing to fully ignite. Strange. He did not recall ever moving to the bed after his... episode. Had the samurai...?

Aku shook his head, trembling claws rubbing against his aching temples, carefully avoiding the area of his injured horns. His chest heaved with desperate breaths and he fought to get it under control, practically feeling another impending attack.

He would not lose himself to his memories. Not again.

A quiet sob left his lips, muffled by the hand clamped over his mouth and he forced himself to stand up, suddenly desperate for some fresh air.

Aku wanted the nightmares to stop, longed for the fear and pain to go away, missed the familiar warm halls of his citadel with its orange and red flame shaped decorations he'd handcrafted himself. In that moment he just.. He just wanted to go home.

Steps clumsy and somewhat uncoordinated, he carefully made his way past the couch, eyes warily watching the white form sprawled upon it. The samurai must have taken it up at some point during the night. Aku was just grateful that his thrashing had not been enough to wake the human from his slumber. Gentle touches and pointless sympathetics were the last things he needed now.

His claws struggled with the latch for a few seconds, but he eventually managed to unlock it, swinging the single window open and fervently gulping in the cold fresh air.

Yet... even if he ever did manage to reclaim his home, it wouldn't ever be the same, would it? The warm halls and brightly lit chambers would no longer hold the same air of comfort, of safety, would they? Forever tainted by dark memories of pain and terror, they would only serve to haunt him, to remind the demon of his place. He would never again feel safe within the fortress's walls. All he would ever experience was dread.

His insides squirming in nausea at the thought, Aku pressed himself against the cold wall, watching the world outside through half-closed eyes.

Despite the low winter temperatures, the night was far from an unpleasant one.

The moon shone brightly down onto the mountain village, a near perfect white disk against the deep sapphire sky. There wasn't a single cloud in sight, the dark heavens speckled with tiny luminous stars. A slight breeze ruffled the thin branches of the surrounding trees, causing them to sway up and down, the calming rustling having little to no effect on the demon's distress.

He had been captured on a similar night, hadn't he? Around a year ago now. Funny how his past seemed like a distant dream, considering he'd never really perceived the passage of time before, largely due to his immortality. Now however, he couldn't help but notice how quickly and drastically things had changed. Only some twelve months ago he'd been lounging safely in his own fortress, enjoying his eons-long rule to its fullest possible extent and plotting the samurai's demise when he wasn't busy with other matters. But then, after suffering multiple failures at achieving that goal, he'd decided he needed change. The old tricks he'd painstakingly developed during his hostile takeover of many worlds were useless against his greatest foe. The demon had needed a breath of fresh air, needed to think of something new. And that very need in the end cost him his freedom.

Aku had ventured outside that night for the first time in over twenty years, not knowing that he would be ambushed, captured, imprisoned in his own home and tormented until he passed the breaking point. If he had just been more careful, if it hadn't been for his accursed arrogance, would he still be ruling the planet? Would he still be... safe?

The remains of his horns lowering in visible anguish, Aku looked down at his flexing claws, a shiver traveling down his equivalent of a spine as a particular strong gust of cold winter air brushed against his form.

They were no longer razor sharp like they used to be, his captors had made sure of that. During the first few weeks of his captivity, when he'd still had the strength to fight, Aku had lashed out and his captors retaliated in kind. If he really tried, the demon thought he could still hear their mocking jeers over the wind whistling outside.

Fear washed over him even though he knew that they were not there with him, but instead miles upon miles away in his former citadel.

Without his magic to power it, it was possible that it still stood where he'd left it last, in a dark, lifeless wasteland far from civilizations and especially far away from the samurai's last known location. Though that would not hinder his assailants in the least. They'd already proven to him that they had mastered the art of teleportation a long time ago. If they wanted to travel quickly, all they needed to do was utter a single spell. The only consolation was that, judging by Khürel's speech, his human captors had no current means of tracking him down. Until they learned how to use his mirror at least.

The golden glow of the bands around his wrists flickered now and then, pulsing in tandem with his own dark essence. Despite his best efforts, he couldn't look away from them, tears of frustration, sorrow and anger building up in the corners of his eyes and quickly trickling down his face. He wanted them off, he wanted his powers back. He couldn't stand looking at them, feeling them against his body any longer, the accursed restraints only serving as a bitter, distressing reminder of what had been done to him.

In a sudden burst of anger, his claws raked against the golden cuff around his left wrist, leaving the smooth surface unmarred and unblemished. Choking back a sob, he lashed out at it again and again, the dull points of his claws hooking on its edges and trying fruitlessly to pull it off, his magic sparking weakly and the band pulsing, as if mocking his pitiful attempts at removing it.

So lost was he in his own desperation, that he did not notice his companion stir from his sleep until strong hands wrapped around his arms, stopping their frantic movements. Only then did he notice the deep cuts where his claws had dug into his own essence, obsidian blood dripping thickly from the wounds and down his arm, splattering onto the stone floor of the small room. He struggled weakly against the samurai's hold, almost half heartedly even, crystalline tears still trickling down his green face. Shame washed over him at his own inability to control his emotions.

"Aku, please, stop. You are hurting yourself," Jack's voice, rough and hoarse from sleep yet as quiet and soft as ever, came from his right, easily heard over the muffled whispers of rustling trees outside. Familiar onyx eyes studied his face, still clouded with slumber, but worried nonetheless. Suddenly unable to meet his rival's gaze, the demon turned away, drawing his uninjured hand down his face, quickly wiping away the involuntary tears. He did not want the samurai of all people to see him this way.

The hand around his cut wrist tightened and he hissed through clenched fangs at the sharp pang of pain, Jack only humming soothingly as he tried to staunch the bleeding. His limbs suddenly feeling unusually heavy, the demon allowed the human to do as he pleased, exhaustion seeping deep into his joints. The sound of ripping cloth snapped his attention back to his companion, watching in astonishment as the other began to bandage his wounded arm, the growing pressure painful, yet never crossing the threshold into excruciating.

He couldn't understand it. No matter how he looked at Jack's behavior, it simply failed to make sense.

"Why?" The question slipped from his lips against his will and he stamped down the urge to wince as the human looked up, forcing himself to remain steadfast in his pursuit of receiving an explanation for the other's bizarre behavior. "You could finally bring your quest to an end. Why do you not take the opportunity when it has presented itself?" 'Why don't you just kill me?' remained unsaid yet heard by them both.

Jack looked away, his fingers leaving Aku's now bandaged wrist and the demon noticed with no small amount of surprise that the white cloth covered not only the deep lacerations, but the restraint itself as well. Even though he could still feel it pulsing against his essence, not being able to look at it made him feel slightly better.

"It.. would be dishonorable to harm a helpless being," the human said at last, and the demon bristled, though he could tell that was not the whole truth. Something else was holding the samurai back, but what could it be? Enjoyment? Satisfaction? It would make sense after everything Aku had put him through.

The demon suddenly wondered if he even wanted to receive an answer.

"You are not obligated to care for me, however," he said, lips curving in a bitter smile, curved fangs flashing in the pale moonlight streaming through the small window. "Your 'honor' prohibits you from harming me when I am at my lowest, but it does not stop you from leaving me to my fate, does it? So, what keeps you by my side, samurai? Pleasure from seeing me like this?"

"No!" The response was instant, and undeniably sincere, onyx eyes meeting his, as if desperate to prove to Aku that that wasn't the case at all. It only served to infuriate him even more. "It is not that at all."

"Then what!?" The demon snarled, impatience, confusion, frustration and pain roiling within his battered chest. "You could easily end this here and now! So why don't you?!" Dark claws grasped the still open window, slamming it shut as he towered over his former rival, desperate to understand, terrified of being hurt, yearning to know if he could truly put his trust in his former enemy, or if he had to live in fear of provoking his rage.

Onyx eyes widening in surprise, Jack flinched back, away from the now frighteningly familiar menacing form of his former rival. His fingers twitched as if in preparation to unsheathe his blade and Aku felt something within him break. The samurai was about to reach for his sword. He should've known that all of this was too good to be true.

What happened next, however, shook him to his very core.

Strong arms wrapped around his torso, drawing him into a warm embrace. Aku instantly began to struggle against the other's hold, dull claws grasping the human by the shoulders and fruitlessly trying to shove him away, curved fangs clenched. "Release me!" The arms around him tightened, effectively keeping him from pulling away. "Let go of me, samurai!"

"I am sorry," the human whispered against essence, voice quiet and heavy with sorrow. Aku fell still, chest heaving in shallow breaths, dull claws still digging into the folds of the man's gi. "I am sorry that this happened to you. I am sorry that I was too blinded by my hatred to see the truth."

The demon's breath hitched and he swallowed heavily, the pain he'd been trying so hard to bury bursting forth again. "I wish..," Jack's voice broke and he drew in a shaking intake, pressing the demon closer even more. "I wish I could have helped you. Before they could lay their hands on you.." Aku shuddered, now clinging to the other's lean form instead of trying to push himself away, tears gathering in his eyes and quickly trickling down. Unwilling to let the other see them, he buried his face in the human's shoulder, trembling violently. However, he was unable to fully contain his wracking sobs.

Jack held him gently even as he cried into his shoulder, whispering gentle comfort into his ear, a soft hand traveling up and down his spine in soothing caresses while another stroked his head, carefully avoiding the area of his injured horns. For the first time in eons, Aku allowed himself to let go, to bare the pain and hurt slowly destroying him from within. The anger and hatred was gone now, replaced by suffering and overwhelming terror.

He'd been alone for as long as he remembered. Since his birth, in fact. The old emperor, the first human he'd ever met, had been instantly repulsed by his very appearance when the demon clawed his way out of that dark pool, and had mistaken his words for those uttered by an inherently evil being, rather than an ignorant creature who had quite literally just been born. That was also the day when Aku had felt pain for the first time in his life. The arrows sinking into his essence left him unharmed, but they had hurt, in more ways than one, and he became angry as a result.

And that anger soon morphed into pitch black hatred.

"Shhhh, it is okay," Jack whispered softly against his essence, voice thick with emotion as he held his greatest foe against his chest, hands never stopping in their soothing touches. "You are going to be alright." Aku desperately latched onto the sound of those vocals, the poisonous whispers of his captors giving way to the soft comfort so freely offered to him, drinking in the tenderness he never thought he would get to experience.

The hatred that had plagued them both for so long... was gone. For the first time in eons... he wasn't alone.

"I have got you. You are safe," the samurai continued as the demon trembled against his body, feeling the tears build up in his own eyes and doing nothing to conceal them. "I am here.. and I will not abandon you."

And Aku believed him.


	4. Chapter 4

Contrary to popular belief, Aku's citadel was never completely silent.

There were always some sounds echoing down the stone halls, either from the forges the demon had been so fond of to keep his fortress comfortably heated, or of his minions scuttling up and down the vast halls, communicating with the multitude of other planets under the entity's control. That was surprising really, considering that Aku's hearing had been far more sensitive than theirs. He couldn't possibly imagine why the former overlord would ever put up with something like that. But... perhaps it gave the demon the illusion of company. Or it would have if Aku had been _capable _of actually experiencing such an emotion as loneliness anyway.

Khürel wanted to tell himself that the lack of quiet bothered him, that he got a headache from being forced to listen to the constant racket, but he knew that that was a lie. The only emotions he felt as he listened to the distant chatter were overwhelming nostalgia and sadness.

His village hadn't been much different, had it? How upsetting that he remembered so little of it now. He'd just been a little boy when it had been burnt down, but that didn't change the fact that he felt like he should at least be able to recall some of the streets in which he'd lived in. But now all he had left of his home were fractured memories, bits and pieces that he could never even hope to successfully piece together. And it was all that demon's fault.

Slamming his fist against the stone armrest, he rose from his seat and began to pace around the large room, the familiar weight of the dagger strapped to his waist now seeming ten times heavier than it had before.

Aku's minions were proving rather... difficult to control. As loathe as he was to admit it, that puzzled him. Demons were lawless, ruthless creatures. They were also shockingly simple. The only beings they respected were those that were far more powerful than themselves. Power dictated your place in their hierarchy. Power and strength. For the longest time, Aku had been the strongest among them and so, they followed him. Now that their former ruler had been overthrown however, logic dictated that they would change their allegiances to Khürel. And yet... they resisted him, fought him on every turn. He could see the golden bands around their throats and wrists spark as they tried to refuse to follow his orders every time, sending painful bolts of electricity through their bodies as punishment. But even that failed to dissuade them from insubordination.

Strange.. Why would they stay loyal to a being who had been so easily overpowered? Why go against their very nature? What could possibly keep them loyal to a cruel and unfeeling creature who'd been proven to be a lesser being compared to the new masters now residing in the tower?

The human shook his head, his fingers flexing where they were clasped around the handle of his weapon. No matter... he could solve that little issue some other time. It wouldn't take much either. All he had to do the next time a lowly servant resisted his commands was to make a public example out of them. That should be enough to do it. Fear of being next and the blatant display of power would put them all in line rather quickly.

What he cared about most right now, were Aku's whereabouts.

As expected, the tower had been flooded with false reports and requests for an audience with them from worried citizens mere hours after the broadcast had ended, each far more paranoid than the previous one. Neither Khürel, nor his companions bothered to look through them. It was a waste of time anyway. They were waiting for something else entirely.

A burst of dark magic.

Aku was bound to panic once he found out what the humans had done. And that would hopefully be enough to make him act rashly, without thinking. Which was exactly what they needed if they wanted their little plaything back.

It didn't matter how small the magical burst was, they would be able to detect it instantly and use it to lead them straight to Aku. That was how they'd tracked the demon down the first time as well. Aku's magic was.. unique, to say the least and while it had worked in his favor for many eons as nobody could truly oppose him (nobody who wished to do so anyway) it could now be used against him instead, its unusual signature easily separating it from the few other magical users living on the planet.

All they had to do was wait. The public's heightened awareness and paranoia would soon prove to be threatening enough for the demon to reach for the small reserves of magic he still had within him in order to try and defend himself. And the second he did that, Khürel would know exactly where he was.

However, the waiting game was quickly becoming quite tiresome.

The doors to the throne room opened with a loud screech of wood sliding heavily across a polished stone floor, dragging his attention away from his own musings and to the newcomer now standing in the open doorway.

"Anything?" He asked, tone practically dripping with impatience. Great, he already sounded like a petulant child desperate to reacquire his lost toy. Not his proudest moment, for sure, but he found that he couldn't quite bring himself to care about that now.

"Nothing," his companion replied, exhaling heavily, and Khürel cursed, slamming his fist against the stone armrest of the now human-sized throne once more, stubbornly ignoring the pain that instantly radiated through his limb. The man before him only looked on with tired indifference, far too exhausted to react to his leader's obvious frustration.

"We must find him!" The human growled, resuming his pacing around the vast room, his seething glare never leaving his childhood friend. "Double your efforts!"

"Why is it so important to you that we locate him, Khürel?" The other man replied, rubbing his long fingers against his aching temple, his eyes shuttering in visible lassitude and his voice quiet. "We've defeated him, punished him, he's powerless. He can't hurt anyone anymore. Isn't that the goal we've been striving toward all these years? What is the point of tracking him down again?"

"The point?" The human repeated, turning to face his companion, genuinely dumbfounded at the other's odd suggestion. "He needs to pay for the things he's done, Nergui!" Eyes flashing in barely suppressed fury, Khürel stalked towards the other man and stopped only a few centimeters away, features darkening dangerously and mouth curling in a vicious snarl. "You should know that better than anyone."

Nergui reeled back as if he'd been slapped, lips twitching and long fingers almost spasmodically clenching around the small enamel ring he wore on a chain around his neck, safely concealed beneath layers upon layers of thick clothing. "But hasn't he paid enough?" He whispered, struggling to keep his own voice from from trembling and refusing to give in to his own anger and grief. If he wanted to get through to his friend, before it was far too late, he needed to remain calm. "We chained him down, locked him away in his very own tower. We made sure that every minute of every day he spent drowning in excruciating pain and regret at his own misdeeds. And we've done that for over a _year_, Khürel. I don't think he'll ever recover enough to try and fall back to his old ways. We've done our job, we've broken him. Isn't it time that we moved on?"

"No!" Khürel roared, towering over his companion, expression nothing short of murderous. "We aren't finished! Not until-"

"-Not until what?!" Nergui snapped, swiftly losing his patience. "Until he's dead? Until you've killed him?!"

The ringleader fell silent, breathing heavily and refusing to look at his childhood friend. Nergui's gaze softened. "That's what I thought," he said, voice gentle and at the same time sad. "I don't recognize you anymore, brother. That dagger's changing you, and not for the better either. I just... I just wish that you were able to see that."

Khürel opened his mouth, ready to utter a heated retort, but he never got the chance to do so.

The doors swung open with tremendous force for the second time that day, slamming against the walls with a loud bang and enough force for the walls themselves to vibrate, instantly tearing the attention of the two arguing parties away from their dispute and to their third and youngest companion.

"Got him!" Erden yelled, his young energetic voice reverberating throughout the entirety of the vast room, eyes gleaming in savage triumph.

"Aku's magic has just been detected!"

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

He'd heard that the world slowed down around you when something bad was happening. That everything suddenly seemed to go in slow motion. An event that happened in a few seconds appeared to drag on for minutes, hours even. But he'd never paid attention. Humans' experiences had never interested him. Aku had always been far more concerned with other, ultimately more important and entertaining things than their psychology. But now, as felt sharp claws grasp at the folds of his cape, he was experiencing it all himself.

There hadn't been many patrons around when they cautiously made their way downstairs, the warm, rosy light of sunrise streaming through the small windows and decorating the walls of the stairwell in ruby splotches. It was far too early for most of the other guests who were staying here to rise, especially after a night spent partying and drinking heavily. They'd both thought that this would be the safest time to slip away without raising too much suspicion.

But they had been wrong.

Aku did his best to stay in the shadows, out of the inn-keeper's line of sight while Jack spoke to her, claws fiddling nervously with the winter cape wrapped around his thin form. He had reluctantly agreed with the samurai that it would be best to pretend everything was normal, to exchange a few words with the old woman rather than leave without a word at the crack of dawn. They needed to come across as normal travelers, especially now with the recent events. The last thing they wanted was for someone to raise the alarm. Even so, he wished that the human would hurry up already.

The shadows swallowed his body easily, concealing him and surrounding him on all sides until he shook where he stood, claws twitching and insides squirming from anxiety. He didn't like them, didn't feel comfortable in them anymore. They reminded him of the darkness of his cell far too much and he was desperate to get out of them as soon as possible, to feel the warm sun against his essence. As bizarre as that sounded.

Something bumped against his shoulder and he stumbled, barely managing to regain his balance before he could collapse face first onto the stone floor, looking up in shock at the hulking man descending down the dark stairwell.

"Sorry," the patron grunted, yellow eyes glowing softly in the morning shadows, the sangria colored scales framing his face glinting softly in the dim light, giving off a metallic-like shine. The demon said nothing, quickly and nervously adjusting the cape thrown over his broad shoulders, eyes watching the other warily from beneath the safety of his hood. The reptilian-like man frowned, at that, eyes traveling up and down his form, briefly flashing red in suspicion.

Aku grimaced at the faint stench of alcohol wafting heavily from the other's form.

"Ya okay?" The patron asked, turning to face him fully and Aku felt ice cold fear course through his veins. He shot a quick glance at the samurai. Jack was still busy talking with the inn-keeper.

"I... am fine," he forced out, voice nothing but a dry rasp, hoping against hope that the other wouldn't recognize it. The man didn't seem to be too convinced by his words at all, if the obvious skepticism on the reptile's face was anything to go by.

"Ya don't look it," the other said, long, sharpened teeth flashing in the morning light as he spoke. "Don't sound it neither." Aku barely stopped himself from flinching as the other stepped forward, swallowing the sudden lump in his throat. Even though they were around the same height, the other was far more muscular than him, strength obvious in every line of his body, making him feel intimidated as he was only too aware of his own powerless and malnourished state.

The reptilian-like alien leaned forward, sniffing the air, the spines running the length of his muzzle twitching just slightly. Yellow eyes narrowed. "Why're ya wearing a hood indoors?" He hissed, the long tail Aku had not noticed up until that moment, lashing in the dusty air, cracking like a whip in the previously easy silence of the large room. Out of the corner of his eyes, the demon saw Jack look up, the human's onyx eyes widening before he quickly excused himself from his conversation, making his way toward them around the multitude of tables. Even so, the demon knew that the samurai wouldn't be able to reach them in time.

"Dangerous times t'be hiding yar face, ya know," the patron continued, voice low and dangerous, sending a shiver down Aku's spine. This man was a hunter and the demon was his prey. Aku did not like being being prey. "Ya've seen the broadcast las' night, right? Heard what the guy said?" The alien leaned forward even more and the demon dipped his head, taking a step back and feeling the wall press against his back. He was successfully backed into a corner. "Aku's hidin' among us."

Pale fingers wrapped around the patron's shoulder, forcefully dragging him away from Aku as Jack took his place in front of the injured demon, onyx eyes narrowed.

"I apologize for my intrusion," he said, voice low in controlled anger, "But I believe that my companion is not comfortable talking to you. We will be taking our leave now." Hand gently brushing against the demon's back, he attempted to herd the other past the suspicious patron, but wasn't able to when the man suddenly slammed his palm against the wall, his arm successfully blocking their path.

"I know ya," the reptile hissed, yellow eyes glowing eerily in the morning shadows. Sensing the commotion, the rest of the early risers looked up from their quiet conversations and breakfasts in curiosity, the inn-keeper regarding them with faint worry, her experience telling her that a fight was liable to break out. "I've seen yar posters plastered all over the walls of them major cities. Ya're Samurai Jack!" There were a few gasps from the small audience, the sound of shattering glass indicating someone had dropped what they were holding in shock. The human said nothing, though his eyes narrowed further, fingers almost imperceptibly curling into fists. "Which means..."

Aku sensed the other's action before it even happened, yet failed to fully dodge it. The scaled hand of the patron shot out, grabbing the hood concealing his features and pulling it down, baring his face for all of them to see. The world slowed down around him and his eyes widened in horror, watching as a feral grin stretched across the reptile's face, baring rows upon rows of sharp teeth.

"Aku!"

He reacted purely by instinct.

A loud bang echoed through the large room, the whole building seeming to shake with the force of the small explosion. The sangria colored body flew across the room, knocking down several people in its way and sending utensils and glass tableware crashing loudly to the floor. Screams and loud exclamations filled the air, but neither of them stopped to listen, Jack grabbing the demon by the upper arm and quickly dragging him out the door.

Despite the loud commotion, there were still very few people out in the streets though they both knew that that was not for long. His black essence pulsing a panicked rhythm in his ears, Aku bolted, ignoring the startled cries of the passerby, the samurai never straying from his side. They didn't see the reptile stumble outside of the inn, clawed hands grasping desperately at the wooden doorframe for balance, blood pouring from a split lip, yellow eyes gleaming in fury. But they did hear him scream.

"Stop them!" The man roared. "It's Aku! Aku is here! Stop them!"

The sounds of the doors and windows of the neighboring houses swinging open echoing in his ears, Aku struggled to push down the terror threatening to consume him, forcing himself to focus on escaping before the villagers could catch up with him. He couldn't succumb to his fear. Not now.

"In here," Jack said as they turned into a dark alleyway, voice deathly calm despite the circumstances and onyx eyes narrowed in concentration. Aku was briefly reminded of the time they'd escaped a city while he was in the form of Ikra. Of course, the situation had been vastly different then. He had been in total control. Hadn't been so weak, powerless.. Hadn't been broken.

The villagers were hot on their heels. Even with his damaged hearing he could detect their heavy footfalls, their enraged yells, the distant screams and cries of women and children. But there was something else there too. Something far more threatening than the inhabitants of the small town. He'd felt that presence before.. back in the winter forest, back in the stone cell of his own fortress...

"_Aku_," Khürel's voice, appearing to be magnified through magical means, echoed through the cold, winter air, the sounds of the enraged citizens steadily falling silent. "_We know you are here_."

The demon came to a sudden halt, terror wrapping its cold claws around his core, and he backed against the wall of a nearby building, his chest heaving in shallow breaths. Jack skidded to a stop next to him, concern instantly taking over his features. The former overlord flinched away when the other reached out to touch him. "_Come on out and face us. Give yourself up before it's too late. You know what will happen to you if you disobey._"

A strangled sounding whimper wrung itself from his throat against his wishes, his back pressing flat against the cold wall, the pulsing of the golden bonds around his body quickening as they sensed their conjurers drawing near.

He did know. But he also knew what would happen if he chose to obey.

"Aku? Aku, look at me," It was Jack's voice that sounded in his ears this time, breaking him out of his increasingly panicked thoughts and dragging his attention back to the white clad warrior. "We do not have the time for this. We have to keep moving." The demon knew he was right, understood the other's urgency, but couldn't move, terror rooting him to the spot. Sensing this, the samurai grasped him by the arm, forcefully dragging him along, but not without an apologetic look thrown the demon's way first.

"_Samurai Jack_," Aku felt the fingers around him tighten, the human's onyx eyes narrowing and his strong jaw setting in controlled fury. "_We know you have Aku in your possession. Why don't you just give him up right now_?"

"We need to get to the forest. It will be easy to lose them there," the human whispered to him, the grip on the demon's body tightening even further as he was forced to practically haul the other along, Aku still too consumed by fear to be able to run on his own.

"_Don't you want your quest to be over_?" Khürel asked, his voice sending a shiver down his former captive's spine and wringing another terrified whimper from his throat. "_Don't you want Aku to be brought to justice_?"

"This is not justice," Jack growled lowly as they turned a corner, looking up and down the empty street before quickly dashing across it, diving into the shadows of another narrow alleyway weaving between two buildings. They could both see the treetops of the forest drawing nearer. "Nothing about this spells justice."

"_I could send you home, you know. It wouldn't take much. I know just the spell that could fling you back in time_."

The samurai skidded to a sudden halt, onyx eyes widening. Aku barely managed to stop himself from crashing into him, his breath stalling in his chest. No, the other couldn't be actually considering...

"_All you have to do, is give that demon up_."

The grip around him turned brutal. The former overlord struggled against the other's hold, panic starting to consume him. Jack wouldn't look at him.

"_It is your choice, Jack. Hand over Aku and go home, or be branded a traitor and hunted down along with him. So, what will it be_?"

Eyes wide, the demon began to thrash with new fervor, overwhelming fear making it hard for him to breathe, his battered chest heaving. The samurai turned sharply to look at him, onyx eyes meeting his. For the first time in many years they spent fighting each other, Aku could not read the emotions hiding behind his rival's gaze.

"I refuse your offer," Jack answered at last, his eyes never leaving the demon's. Aku's body went slack in shock, his mouth falling open as he gaped at his former enemy, claws falling away from where they had been trying to pry the samurai's fingers away from his dark essence. "I will not abandon him to the likes of you."

"A shame."

The two companions spun around.

Khürel stood in the center of the narrow path behind them, the dagger glinting menacingly in the bright light of the rising sun as long fingers played carelessly with the gold-encrusted handle. His lackeys weren't far behind him, their own weapons drawn and clasped tightly in their hands. Though, to his surprise, it didn't escape Jack's notice that one of them didn't seem all that excited about catching up to them at all.

"Here I thought you were a reasonable man. Guess I was wrong."

They bolted.

"After them!" Khürel roared, swiftly giving chase, his companions not far behind him.

Blind panic consuming him, Aku didn't need to be dragged along this time, desperation pushing him forward despite his weakened state. They needed to get to the forest, Jack would know what to do from there. The samurai was far more skilled than the three humans and had spent a lot of time on the run and hiding from Aku's minions. He would be able to conceal their tracks easily. But... they needed to lose Khürel and his followers first.

Looking down at his dulled claws, Aku got an idea. He didn't have a lot of magic left, the golden bonds strapped around him keeping most of his powers locked away, but without his captors' additional spells they weren't able to render him completely powerless. There were drawbacks of course. If he actually did this, he would be even more weak for a long time before he could manage to recover the meager supply of magic he had had in the first place. However, he didn't have much of a choice, did he? It was that or be captured again and he couldn't go back to that.. he couldn't!

They were almost out of the small village now. He could see the thick trunks of trees towering in front of him, drawing nearer with every step he took. Just a little more-

As soon as they turned the corner, Aku hastily shoved the samurai forward, out of way, directing his gaze to the stone wall of a nearby building.

It exploded.

Dust, stone and snow flew everywhere, the enraged and confused shouts of Khürel and his companions echoing through the cold winter air, though the demon didn't have the time to stop and listen to what exactly they were saying.

"Come on," Jack said grabbing him by the arm and dashing for the dark forest.

Aku didn't resist him.

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

_His mother had been a beautiful woman, that he remembered clearly. Warm, kind and nurturing, she was the best mother a boy could ever hope for and it brought him no small amount of pain to recall the happy moments they shared now._

_His father, on the other hand, was a stark contrast to his soft-spoken wife. He was never abusive towards his only son, but he was strict, demanding. He always did his best to mold his son into a productive member of their small community. And for that, Khürel admired him._

_It had been a sunny day, at least he thought it had, when everything went to hell. He had been playing with his friends in the emerald fields surrounding their village, the kindly neighbor next door watching over them from the corner of her eyes while their parents attended to other matters. Nergui was being annoying again, arguing with him over the rules of their game. Khürel hated fighting with him. No matter what he said or did, he never seemed to be able to get the upper hand. With just a few words the other seemed to disarm and win over him every time. That became annoying very quickly._

_Erden seemed to have grown tired of their little spat, because he was no longer standing by them, instead sitting on the ground, his little body propped up against a large stone and a tiny white form wriggling desperately in his fingers. A mouse. And an injured one at that judging by the red smears of blood coating its muzzle and sides. Khürel felt his insides clench in disgust. How many times did he have to tell Erden not to do that? That it made him want to vomit? Too many. It was simply beyond his comprehension why anyone would find it so amusing to carve up small animals._

_It appeared that Nergui had followed his gaze once he realized that Khürel was no longer listening to him, because he instantly stalked forward, wrenching the poor thing out of their friend's grasp and carefully setting it on the ground, the white body instantly vanishing in the tall strands of grass. Erden did not appreciate his toy being taken away. _

_Remembering how his father had once broken up a drunken fight, Khürel placed himself between his two friends, trying his best to calm the two of them before they could get physical. It failed and the three of them were soon engaged in a yelling match, gesticulating wildly._

_None of them noticed the approaching shadow. None of them sensed the nature around them suddenly go deathly silent or the sounds of their fellow villagers slowly fade away._

_It was only when the sun disappeared and their world was suddenly shrouded in darkness that they looked up, right at the monstrous form now looming over their small village._

_His memories became blurry after that. He remembered the buildings around them suddenly burst into flames, remembered running, coughing as smoke filled his lungs and scorched his throat. He could faintly recall the frightened screams of the people he'd grown up around and the sounds of metal clashing against metal. Only later did he learn that those were the sounds of Aku's drones invading their town._

_What he remembered with utmost clarity, however, even after all these years, was his mother reaching desperately for him, her face smeared with her own blood, screaming for him to run..._

"Hey. Didn't know you were awake." Nergui's voice, calm and strangely aloof as ever broke him out of his brief flashback, reluctantly dragging him back to reality. Khürel looked down at the cup clasped tightly in his fingers, the sweet and pleasant aroma of tea filling the small room. The man didn't look up as his childhood friend settled on a chair across from him, though the loud screech of a moving chair did make him wince at the vicious assault on his hearing.

"Yeah," he muttered in reply, too distracted to formulate a more intelligent response. Nergui sighed heavily, setting his own cup on the polished surface of the table, his eyes troubled as they studied his long-time friend.

"Remembering the old days again?" Khürel looked away, reluctant to meet the other's gaze, knowing that he could read him like an open book. Nergui was frustrating like that. "I've been thinking a lot about them too lately."

"He was in our grasp, Nergui," The ringleader whispered, fingers clenching into fists in his anger. "Just a little bit more and we would've had him. He was right there and we let him go!" The table shook as the man pushed himself away from it in anger, rising to his feet and beginning to pace. A habit he picked up during their teenage years. The other didn't stop him, merely watching as his companion raged.

"You know, Sarnai loved winter. Was her favorite time of the year."

Khürel looked up, shock written all over his face. His friend avoided his gaze, eyes glassy as he seemed to recall some distant memory.

"We always found that surprising. You know, since uh.. since we named her after a flower that usually bloomed in spring and all.. But I think the fact that we all associated winter with the cold and, well, _death _played no small part in making her preference all the more shocking. She always used to say that the season felt like a waking dream. I think I understand what she meant by that now."

"Nergui-"

"I don't think my sister would approve of what I'm doing here, Khürel," the man said, turning towards him, the look in his eyes filled with old grief. Khürel felt his heart clench in his chest. Nergui only sighed, reaching into the folds of his clothes. Something glinted in the dim light of the small room and the ringleader knew that it was the ring without even looking at it. "I don't think she'd enjoy it. And I don't think I'm enjoying this anymore either."

"You know what I felt when we caught up to him in that alley? Pity. Maybe even disgust. But not anger. I did not experience any thirst for revenge. I just.. I just felt tired and hurt and sad. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed punishing him for what he did at first, but now I.. I don't feel anything."

"Nergui," despite his better reasoning, Khürel reached out, but his friend moved away from his touch, crossing his arms tightly over his chest.

"Hear me out, would you? Sarnai would want me to move on. I know she would. She would want me to live a happy life even with her gone. And so would your mother."

"She would want me to make the one responsible for her death pay for his actions," Khürel snarled, his anger returning within seconds. Nergui merely shook his head, shoulders slumping in exhaustion.

"No, I doubt she'd want you to ruin your life by constantly concerning yourself with that demon," he said, voice quiet. "I don't believe she'd want your world to revolve around him. She would be much happier if her son could move on from her death. It's time to move on, Khürel. We can finally mold this world into a better place. If only you would just let go."

"I'm not talking about this with you," the ringleader said, starting to move toward the door.

"You're escaping from this conversation then?" Nergui asked, his tone still as deathly calm as it had been since they had started talking. "You've been doing that ever since we were kids, Khürel. Means that you aren't so sure that what you're doing is the right thing to do."

"You know, Nergui, sometimes the most frustrating thing about you is that you seem to be incapable of telling the difference between the past and the present," the man growled, the last shreds of his patience swiftly dissipating.

"And yet you're the one still living in the past," Nergui remarked, turning to glance at his childhood friend.

But Khürel was already gone.

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

Night had fallen by the time they stopped moving. Even though he knew they were no longer being followed, Aku found that he couldn't quite manage to calm down yet, his battered chest heaving as he drew in desperate breaths.

He felt weak, far weaker than he had before, but he'd figured that this could happen when he blew up that wall in order for the two of them to escape. Even if the samurai had drawn his sword, Aku doubted he would be able to stand his ground against the three humans, considering they had been able to take him down at full power all those months ago, a feat that Jack himself failed to accomplish for over twenty years. But, then again, his rival had never used magic against him, aside from the sword of course.

As if sensing his distress, the samurai looked up from where he was tending to the fire, patiently coaxing the dry leaves and branches to ignite, his handsome features highlighted by the orange glow of the small flames. "Aku? Are you alright?"

They both already knew the answer to that question, but the demon shook his head in reply anyway, the look in his eyes distant.

How had the humans tracked them down in the first place? How did they know where to look? Did.. Did that mean that they had used the mirror then? But then again, the mirror couldn't exactly give you the exact location, it merely showed you what you wanted to see. So.. how had they found him?

"I believe it was your magic." Aku looked up, his eyes meeting onyx ones. The samurai shook his head, absentmindedly adding more leaves to fuel the camp fire, brows furrowed in thought. "They appeared only after you used your powers to get that man away from you."

The demon bared his fangs in a grimace, shifting where he sat against the thick trunk of a nearby tree. That... unfortunately made sense. It was the only plausible explanation they had so far. That didn't mean of course that he had to like it, given what it implied. "It would appear so." He muttered, claws clenching around his own arms, his gaze focusing on the crackling fire.

The samurai sighed, settling on a small stone protruding from the thick layer of snow, the look in his eyes troubled. Despite his better judgement, Aku decided to speak up again.

"You could have complied with their demands."

Jack looked up, confusion etching his face. The demon remained steadfast, looking at his former rival through half closed eyes, exhaustion seeping into his joints.

"You could have handed me over. You could have been sent home."

The human looked away, his pale fingers clasping in front of him as he leaned forward, bracing himself on his knees. When he met Aku's gaze again, there was only sincerity in those onyx eyes. "I meant what I said back in that inn, Aku," he said voice soft and gentle. "I will not abandon you."

Despite his best efforts, Aku could not spot a lie in the other's words, and instead redirected his gaze back to the fire. "You really are a fool, samurai." There was no venom to be found in the demon's voice however, only overwhelming exhaustion after a long, terrifying day.

Jack smiled, a soft chuckle wringing itself past his lips, though his amusement was short-lived, the gravity of their situation soon catching up with him again. "What now?" He asked, watching the injured demon out of the corner of his eyes, Aku's expression becoming thoughtful.

"I must find a way to remove these chains," the former overlord said at last, looking down at the golden band strapped around his uninjured wrist. "After that... I must reclaim my throne."

The samurai did not miss the brief tremor of fear in the other's voice.


	5. Chapter 5

Spring was approaching fast. He could almost sense the growing warmth in the winter air, smell the faint aroma of blooming flowers. That had never failed to bring him joy. Even after all these years filled with loneliness and endless bloodshed. Jack had always been excited at the promise of warmer seasons, as well as the new life they inevitably brought along with them. Until now.

The townspeople didn't even glance at him once as he slipped past them, their attention directed elsewhere. He no longer found it all that surprising, already accustomed to using it to his own advantage. Sometimes, when he wasn't actively fighting for his life, he had to wonder what caused the people to become so unobservant, what made them so utterly dismissive of the world surrounding them. As if there was nothing else left to value other than their own selfish desires. It couldn't _all _be Aku's doing, surely? The demon could enslave and rule, but he couldn't exactly control minds. At least, Jack didn't think he could.

The bell tinkled softly as he pushed open the heavy door of the local pub, silently adjusting the straw hat perched atop his head before apprehensively stepping inside. The air was warm and smelled strongly of open fire, welcoming in every meaning of the word. Cautiously looking around first, Jack approached the bar, ordering a single cup of tea before swiftly retreating to an empty and dark corner.

This was perhaps the safest place in the room. Not only did he have a clear view of everyone currently occupying the pub, but his form was also safely shrouded by the deep shadows, successfully concealing him from prying eyes. Just what he needed if he wanted to listen in on the conversations going on around him. Chances were he'd hear something useful, something that would give them a clue as to where to go next.

That strategy had worked often enough back when he'd been searching for time portals.

Aku's chains needed to be removed. Even Jack, with all of his reluctance to give the other his powers back while in such a fragile state, admitted that. The only question now was how to do it. Part of him feared the possibility that they were impossible to take off, or that they would require the assistance of the people who had conjured them in the first place. Having met them personally already, he doubted they would be so eager to help.

The idea of the demon being forever doomed to remain in a powerless and helpless state did not sit right with him.

Aku didn't laugh anymore. Jack hadn't even seen him crack a smile once during the few days they had spent travelling together. Instead, he was quiet, withdrawn and utterly unresponsive to the human's attempts of starting a conversation or joking. Even directly appealing to his ego by reminding the demon of his past victories over his rival had failed to yield any results. All that pointless bravado and conceit that Jack had found so vexing before seemed to be gone. Buried. Hidden away where they could no longer be seen or used against the former ruler.

He knew that Aku just needed some time to process what had been done to him, to gather his thoughts and start the healing process, but it was difficult to stand by and watch while the other suffered in silence. Even if he knew that there was nothing he could really do except offer support and the occasional comforting word.

The demon was struggling to find his footing. Having been robbed of his throne, of his powers, of everything that made up his very identity, Aku seemingly had little left to fall back on, nothing that could help him gather the pieces of his shattered self. But, if he was truly going to get through this, he had to figure it out himself. The samurai could not help him with that even if he desperately wanted to.

The conversations around him were fairly normal, if you could call discussing the recent events normal anyway. He'd been sitting in the pub for over half an hour now and hadn't heard anything strange, nothing that could possibly assist them in their quest. He was starting to wonder if he should leave, worry for his companion's wellbeing causing him to shift imperceptibly in his seat, his fingers tapping anxiously against the smooth brown surface of the table as he tried to conceal his restlessness.

The former overlord had done his best to appear dismissive when the samurai told him he would be venturing into the town in an attempt to find clues, but Jack had seen the by now familiar flash of panic in those eyes, the quick, almost nervous twitch of dull claws. As if Aku had tried to clench them into fists, but changed his mind at the last second.

One thing was for certain: he needed to get back to the injured being as soon as possible.

"I mean, did you see him on that video?" A loud voice said from the table to his left and Jack shrank back into the deep shadows, eyes wide. Despite the ruckus of other ongoing conversations, sounds of creaking old wood and occasional clinking utensils, he could still easily discern the nasty laughter of the people sitting next to him. "I don't know about you, but I personally haven't seen a more beautiful sight in my entire life. It's indeed a pity that we didn't get to witness more though. Would've loved watching that bastard get exactly what he deserves."

"I don't know, man. Guy looked like death warmed over..." A second voice piped up, words laced with hesitance and uncertainty. "I mean, I'm with you n'all, but a line has to be drawn _somewhere_. Just because Aku was a complete ass doesn't mean that we have to be the same way. Besides, why didn't they just kill him the moment they captured him? Would've done all of us a favor."

"Because by the looks of it, they'd be doin' the demon a favor too," another voice said, deeper and more mature sounding than the other two. "I've seen the look in his eyes on that recording, I recognized it. Trust me, in that moment Aku was wishin' to die."

Jack froze in his seat, pale fingers clenching around the cup of tea he held tightly in his grasp. He could just barely see the man's companions share a disbelieving look, skepticism practically dripping off their forms in waves.

"Come on, man, this is _Aku_ we're talkin' about here. He loves himself too much. He's probably out there somewhere right now, lickin' his wounds and planning his 'triumphant' return. Instead of wasting time speculating about his 'emotional' state, I suggest actually going out there and looking for him."

"Then you'll be searching for a corpse," the third patron snapped, irritation bleeding into his voice. "I've worked with such people before, trust me. I'm quite familiar with that look of agony in their eyes. Frankly, I'm surprised that he didn't try to off himself the moment he managed to escape or after the broadcast. One thing's for certain though - it's only a matter of time before he takes matters into his own hands."

The memory of Aku standing by the window, his claws tearing viciously into his own wrist and obsidian blood dripping thickly onto the pale stone floor flashed before the human's eyes.

"Yeah, well, in that case he should hurry up 'n do it already," the first voice rumbled, low and grim. "We'd all feel much better if we knew that he was no longer out on the streets. Or among the living for that matter."

"What about Jack?" The second man piped up once more and the human could almost imagine the look of curiosity on the other's face despite not having a clear view of the table. "Do you really think he's helpin' him?"

"No," the first stranger snapped, voice firm and leaving no room for arguments. "That I simply refuse to believe. He 'n Aku have been at each other's throats for over twenty years now. If anything, I'm willing to bet that the samurai would be the first in line to put that demon out of his misery. If he's truly helping the other now, it's definitely not of his own free will."

"Well, on that at least, we can agree." The third villager muttered. "Something smells fishy about this whole situation. Mark my words, this won't end well. Question is: for whom?"

There was a sound of scraping chairs as the trio slowly rose from their seats, dumping a few coins onto the polished surface of the table they had been occupying before leaving, their voices soon fading away as they stepped outside and into the snowy streets. Jack waited for a few minutes before grasping his sword, abandoning his secluded corner and making his way outside as well, an empty cup and some money being the only signs that somebody had been sitting there in the first place.

Worry ate away at his heart.

Those people had to be wrong. Aku wasn't - couldn't possibly be _suicidal_, could he? Hurt, yes, but not... Not pushed past the breaking point. Regardless, he had to check on the demon, just to be sure that the other... hadn't done anything drastic in his absence. And he would certainly make sure to keep a closer eye on the former overlord from now on.

"Why do you care?" A voice whispered in his ear, quiet and painfully familiar. "Why are you not pleased by the notion of him ending it? Was his death not the goal you have been striving toward all these years? What does it matter if he dies at his own claws instead of at your blade?"

His eyes clenched shut for a few moments, jaw setting in determination. "Because this is not right," he thought to himself. "Now that I know he is-"

"-He is what? _Human_?" Jack's own voice whispered back at him, mockery all but dripping off those vocals. "Do not tell me you are that naive. He is no different from what he was a year ago. The only difference now is that he is powerless against you. Or anyone for that matter."

"You are wrong," Jack whispered as he slipped into a dark side-street, heading towards the mountain forest. "He _can_ be changed. He _has _changed. This struggle can end without more bloodshed."

"And what if you are the one in the wrong?" The voice asked, quiet and troubled. "What if you help him regain his power and he goes back to his old ways? What if you help put a tyrant back on the throne?"

Jack had no answer to those questions.

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

The trees surrounding him were a small comfort, if any.

Aku could hear them rustle, speak to him in a language that only he could understand, but said nothing in return, merely pressing one clawed hand against a nearby trunk in silent gratitude.

They were trying to comfort him, in their own way. He'd be lying if he said that he didn't find it bizarre. In his quest to become the ruler of the entire planet and to push the technological development along, he'd cut down many of their brethren without mercy. And yet, they still welcomed him, recognized him as one of their own. He _had_ been one of their own. Once. But those days were long past now.

Despite that, they still seemed to remember him.

The samurai had barely been gone an hour and he could already feel the blind panic building up in his chest, his dull claws trembling and curling into fists as he pressed himself further beneath the stone outcrop sticking out of the snow-laden ground, watching the world around him through shuttered eyes.

Had the human been ambushed? Had he been captured? Were his torturers on their way towards him right now?

Aku knew he was being paranoid, but simply couldn't help it, uncontrollable fear starting to take hold. He had made sure not to use any of his magic for the past few days (not that he had any left to spend after his little stunt in the first place) and so far there had been no signs of the three humans. It seemed that the samurai had been right in his assumption and that his captors were unable to track him through other means.

Still, the knowledge failed to put him at ease. They could always be merely toying with them, taking their time to enjoy the hunt. He knew better than anyone else the intoxicating thrill a good chase brought.

But Khürel was not the only one after his blood. That much had been proven during the altercation back in the inn. He'd hurt a lot of people, he realized that with frightening clarity now. Before, he hadn't cared because he'd known there was nothing they could do to harm him. Only the emperor and his son had possessed the single weapon able to subdue him. That wasn't the case here now. Without his powers he- he had nothing. No protection. No defense. Just like his time trapped in a tree all those years ago...

Clenching his curved fangs, Aku curled up where he sat on the cold ground, dull claws grasping tightly at his upper arms.

He was backed into a corner with no way out.

He felt the unknown presence far before he heard or even glimpsed it. A soft whisper sounded through the cold winter air, vastly different from the by now familiar noises of rustling trees.

Aku staggered to his feet, pressing flat against the cold stone behind him, fearfully watching the now eerily silent forest surrounding him. His breath stalled in his battered chest and he could feel himself starting to tremble against his wishes, eyes wide.

"Jack?" He asked, his voice barely more than a whisper and immediately cursed his own foolishness. He'd possibly just given away his exact location.

"_No_." A voice whispered.

It sounded vaguely familiar, Aku had heard it somewhere before, yet he could not quite recall where.

Baring his fangs in a threatening manner, trepidation blooming in his bandaged chest, Aku's eyes narrowed, eyebrows sparking weakly and claws flexing where they clenched at his sides.

"Who are you?!"

"_You know who I am_."

He didn't. It sounded familiar, yes, but his mind drew up a blank even with his best efforts to place it. "What do you want from me?"

Silence fell upon the small clearing and he resisted the urge to squirm, breathing heavily where he stood pressed against the snow covered outcrop.

He was starting to think he'd been imagining things when the voice spoke up once more, strangely hollow and detached.

"_If freedom is truly what you desire,  
Then to the beginning you must return.  
Back to the darkness that brought the emperor much ire,  
And to the pools where old sorrow burns._"

Aku went very still, eyes going wide and face slackening in shock. The unknown entity continued regardless of his confusion.

"_Gray will become black once again,  
If the correct words are spoken.  
Provided you know the right thing to gain,  
Will your powers once more be woken._"

And just like that, the presence vanished as if into thin air.

Aku stood there in silence for several moments, claws still trembling where they were scraping against the cold stone behind him, holding him up as he swayed uncontrollably where he stood.

The spirit had done its job. The demon knew where to go now. Even if the mere thought of it brought him chest-crushing terror.

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

The human was staring at him. Had been for the past few hours too. His essence prickled uncomfortably from the other's persistent gaze and he turned in Jack's direction, only for the samurai to quickly look away, avoiding his eyes.

Irritation coursed through him.

"What is it, samurai?" Aku hissed, sharp fangs flashing in the sunlight as they walked, the pearly white snow crunching softly beneath their feet.

"What happened to you, Aku?" Jack asked quietly at last, troubled onyx eyes locking onto his form once more. "What did they do to you?"

The demon's stride faltered, but he managed to catch himself before he could fall face first onto the cold ground, glancing back sharply at his companion. Jack was still looking at him, a silent question clear in every line of his face. Aku turned his back on him, jaw clenching and shoulders squaring. "That.. is none of your business, samurai." He forced out, words sounding choked and desperate.

A heavy silence fell between them as they walked, the demon unconsciously pulling the cape tighter around himself, almost as if he was trying to hide. Jack's brows furrowed, worry bleeding into his expression. The demon resisted the urge to wince at the quiet reproach.

"It is possible that you would feel better if you told me," the human prompted gently, slightly quickening his steps to keep up with Aku's much longer strides. "Talking about what happened could help you come to terms to what happened. Burying your memories will only make matters worse."

"I do not wish to speak of this topic, samurai," The demon snapped, anger rising within him with frightening speed. "Leave. It."

Thankfully, Jack seemed to get the message, falling silent once more. Out of the corner of his eyes, Aku could see the human's brows furrow even more as he obviously still disagreed with his rival's decision, but opted not to press the matter further. Reluctant gratitude welled up in his battered chest. Aku wasn't sure he could... handle facing what had been done to him again, much less tell someone he could barely trust about the experience. Not yet anyway.

_The walls of his cell rose before his eyes with terrifying clarity, the distant crackling of torches and heavy footsteps echoing in his own ears. They were coming. He knew they were. But he couldn't hide-_

Aku's eyes slid shut of their own accord and he gasped for air, chest heaving with frantic, desperate breaths.

No. Nononono. He wasn't back there anymore. He wasn't chained down. He was safe, safe, _safe_.

A hand gently brushed against his shoulder and he shrieked, flinching violently away from the unwanted and unexpected touch.

Jack didn't budge from his spot beside him, slowly lowering his outstretched hand, onyx eyes narrowed in barely masked concern.

Aku forced himself to look away, arms crossing over his bandaged chest in a tense manner. Fortunately, the samurai chose not to question him, silently urging him to keep walking. The demon couldn't push down the shame welling within him at his own weakness.

It's as if he was... incapable of controlling himself anymore, his body failing to follow his commands and his mind tormented by constant, dark memories filled with feverish fear and wracking pain.

As the days went by, it seemed to be only growing worse. And Aku didn't know how to stop himself from slipping.

His only solace was that his physical condition, on the other hand, seemed to be slowly getting better.

As he regained his energy, his wounds appeared to start healing once more, though at a much, much slower, almost human pace than they had before his capture. The cuts on his wrist had already closed, though they did not completely disappear just yet. However, the samurai did not remove the bandages around them, carefully tucking the white fabric beneath the edges of the restraints in order to hide them from his view.

Aku was ashamed to admit that that helped him. Though he of course would never tell the human that.

Jack had been highly skeptical when the demon had told him of where they were to go, conveniently neglecting to mention his odd... encounter. He knew the samurai would ask questions if he did. Aku didn't exactly know how to explain it, but something told him that he could trust the strange voice, that it genuinely meant to help them. That didn't mean that he wasn't still suspicious, naturally, but what other choice did they currently have? The human hadn't picked up anything useful during his little detour and the demon doubted he ever would in future pursuits.

Though... it seemed that he was not the only one keeping secrets from his company.

Jack had grown... far more watchful after his return from the small town they had travelled by. Aku didn't know what the human had overheard precisely, but he could tell that something was bothering him, something that no doubt concerned the wounded demon now walking beside him.

The quiet vigilance was starting to grate on his nerves.

The sounds of the birds suddenly falling silent dragged him from his internal musings, instantly alerting him that something was wrong.

A distant, growing rumble echoed down the lonely road, the two travelers halting in their steps and listening closely. Even with his damaged hearing, Aku could tell that it sounded... metallic. A car perhaps? But then, there would be the sound of flight engines as well, so it couldn't be that. So what...?

Judging by the familiar onyx eyes suddenly widening, Jack seemed to recognize the distant noise.

An indignant squawk wrung itself past the demon's lips as the human suddenly grabbed him by the upper arm, dragging him off the road and into the safe shadows and cover the thick trunks on each side provided. Wrenching his appendage out of the other's grasp once they were fully concealed from sight, Aku bared his fangs, eyes flashing in barely contained fury. "What is the meaning of this, samurai?!"

Jack shushed him, a look of intense concentration taking over his handsome features as he listened intently, fingers slowly reaching for the handle of his sword.

Aku forced himself to push aside the irrational fear that immediately bloomed within his chest at the mere sight of the loathed blade.

The rumbling steadily grew into a roar and the demon could now faintly see the dark form heading towards them through the dense coverage of branches, the remains of his horns lowering in growing apprehension. Surely the humans hadn't sent anyone after them? They weren't supposed to possess any means of tracking them!

What he saw next would later haunt him in his darkest nightmares.

"Keep moving. Keep moving. Keep moving." A metallic, emotionless voice chanted, the drone's head swiveling this way and that as the machine was forcefully pushed forward, clearing snow from the main road leading to the village.

Despite the white powder cascading everywhere, Aku could see the frail forms of the slaves forcing it along with terrifying clarity, large metal collars strapped around their necks, keeping them from escaping their hard labor. His breath stalled in his battered chest and he tried to look away, but wasn't able to, his gaze seeming to be drawn to the skeleton-like figures.

He could see their ribs poking through their pale skin, the sweat dripping heavily down their backs and foreheads, the looks of absolute exhaustion and pain on their sickly faces...

And realized that he had been the one to do this to them.

"Wait here," Jack murmured, the sword flashing in the bright sunlight as he unsheathed it, leaving the demon's side and stepping out of the safety the forest cover provided.

Aku could only watch in silence as the samurai cut the drone in half, face completely emotionless the whole time as he freed the slaves from their overwhelming work. He could only watch as the metal collars fell away one by one, each heavy thud echoing in his ears like cracks of thunder, as the human sliced through the silver chains with startling ease.

The vile golden band pulsed around his neck.

The demon only found strength within himself to look away when Jack cautiously approached the huddled crowd, gently directing them to the nearby village where they would be able to get some help, the slaves staring at him in undisguised shock, before thanking him profusely and swiftly fleeing the scene, unwilling to encounter the reinforcements the drone most likely sent for moments before it was destroyed.

Not that it mattered. They would be returning to their masters of their own accord eventually. He knew they would.

The samurai watched them go, something sad and at the same time relieved flashing over his face. He only looked up when Aku finally gathered enough courage to step outside of the dark shadows, coming to stand by his former rival and staring at the wreckage that had once been a machine transported by slaves.

Jack couldn't see his face. The demon's back was turned towards him.

Aku still avoided his gaze even as he stepped closer, dull claws clenching tightly around dark essence where his arms were crossed tightly over his chest, the former overlord seeming unable to tear his attention away from the now demolished machine he had once created.

"Come, Aku," he prompted gently, brushing his fingertips against the small of the other's back, urging him to step away from the smoking remains and continue their journey. He ignored the faint shudder that travelled through the other's thin form, or how the demon subconsciously traced the outline of the hidden cuff strapped around his left wrist. Chose to disregard the obvious pain and suffering in those pitch black eyes. Even as he felt his heart shatter at the sight.

_"This is the world you have created, Aku,"_ Jack thought, sadness sinking its cruel claws deep into his very core. "_I only wish you could have seen the truth about it before you could suffer at its hands as well..."_

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

The storm Jack had been expecting for several days now came upon them suddenly, without warning. They were rather fortunate that caves were quite plentiful in the mountainous region they were currently trekking, otherwise they would have been in trouble as the strong gusts of icy wind and the thick snowfall that fell upon them within seconds would've no doubt made them lose their way a long time ago.

Aku hadn't said a single word for hours now, the glassy look in his eyes telling the samurai that the other was lost in thought.

He decided against prodding him. For now.

The strong smell of roasted rabbit made his mouth water, his onyx eyes fixing on the small fire he had constructed before the storm could fall upon them completely.

Aku had proven himself to be quite useful while hunting for food. Even with his damaged hearing, the former overlord still seemed to manage to locate prey with appalling ease, his claws shooting out with inhuman speed and wrapping around his target's throat before it could even think about escaping. He wouldn't lie, he'd been amazed by the obvious skill and grace his rival had exhibited during the chase, despite his injured and utterly drained state. However, Jack never again wanted to see the demon rip out an animal's throat with nothing except his own fangs. He'd barely been able to force a smile on his face and hide his queasiness when Aku had presented him with his catch, bandaged chest puffed up in barely contained pride and face smeared with the poor creature's blood.

Though that smile soon turned genuine as Aku very vocally expressed his shock that he would have to _wash_ the blood off and not simply _lick_ it off.

The phrase "foolish samurai!" had been uttered several times until the process was completed.

It felt nice, seeing the demon enjoy himself for once. It gave Jack hope. Those people _had_ been wrong after all. Aku could still be saved. In more ways than one. He was sure of it.

The wind whistled shrilly outside, echoing in the deep confines of the cavern that they had located and the human shivered, keeping an eye on the dark shadows surrounding them. He wouldn't be surprised if they contained a wild animal deep in the hibernation cycle, given the season, and the last thing he wanted was to startle it awake.

But... was it just him, or was the cave slowly becoming... brighter?

When something brushed against his leg without warning, he flinched, fingers instinctively grasping at the handle of his sword as his eyes searched for the origin of the unexpected touch.

A small, pearlescent worm-like creature with tiny legs scuttled past, beautiful, glowing wings fluttering in the chilly air, flashing with every color of the rainbow in the bright light their small campfire provided. Jack watched it in bemusement, looking up as more and more appeared on the walls of the cave, glowing in the pitch black darkness like tiny stars.

"You can relax now, samurai."

Jack looked down, following the demon's gaze to where his fingers were still clenched around the handle of his sword, knuckles white from the strong hold he had on it.

"They are harmless."

"What are they?" Jack asked, watching the creatures curiously, their bright emerald eyes seeming to watch his every move even as he slowly released his hold on the blade.

Aku shrugged, extending a single clawed hand and allowing one of the creatures to clamber onto it, watching the fragile yet beautiful being through shuttered eyes, body slumping against the wall in visible exhaustion. "I believe they are called 'Fehvrali', if I am not mistaken. They are from one of the planets I have... occupied. I have heard they are popular pets, though many may still be met in the wild."

The demon's claws twitched and Jack tensed, expecting them to curl around the poor creature with crushing force - only to gape in shock as Aku slowly lowered his hand to the ground, allowing the animal to clamber off and be on its way.

He quickly closed his mouth when the former overlord glanced his way.

"How are your wounds?" Jack asked after a long pause, cautiously extending his own fingers in the direction of one of the small creatures, wincing slightly at the feeling of tiny thorn-like claws hooking on his skin and the folds of his gi. It wasn't the most unpleasant sensation he had experienced over the years he spent stranded in the future, but he was definitely not looking forward to picking any more of them up. No matter how beautiful they were.

Aku took a few minutes to consider the question, eyeing him carefully from beneath heavy eyelids. As if gauging how much truth he could entrust him with. Even though Jack understood that building trust was a long and difficult process, especially between two enemies who had been fighting each other for many years, he'd be lying if he said it didn't bother him. Just a little.

"They... are better," the demon replied at last, dull claws unconsciously coming up to cover his bandaged midsection, the look in his eyes distant. "It will be a while before they are completely healed, however."

The samurai nodded, his gaze falling on the injured horns.

They seemed to be growing longer, though he was most likely imagining that. At least, he could say with complete certainty that they no longer hurt the other so much, as the former overlord had been moving them far more as of late, his green face no longer contorting in a grimace of pain at the action.

It was... strangely endearing how Aku seemed to use them to express emotion, but then again, the demon had always been rather open about what he was feeling. Body language and expressions seemed to be the only things the former overlord had never been able to fully control, or maybe he had never even tried to do so in the first place. Jack simply couldn't be sure at this point.

But now with Aku so withdrawn and dismal, they were his best and by far only method of understanding what was going on in the other's mind.

"They appear to have taken a liking to you," he remarked, watching as the creatures seemed to cluster around the wall behind the demon, one even being so bold as to try and perch himself on the former ruler's shoulder, though it instantly withdrew as the other flinched away from the unexpected touch.

Aku frowned slightly, watching them from the corner of his eyes, his eyebrows burning weakly in the deep shadows of the cave. "They are drawn to light and warmth," he murmured, shifting away from the wall and closer to the campfire, obviously uncomfortable by the creatures' piqued interest. "I was born of flame just as much as I have of darkness. It is only natural that they are attracted not only to the fire, but to my presence as well on a cold night such as this."

Jack tilted his head in curiosity at that.

"Is that where we are going then?" He asked, onyx eyes watching the other closely. "To the place where you were born?"

The demon flinched and then nodded, his suddenly forlorn gaze falling on the small fire the human had lit. "Yes." For some unknown reason, he appeared to be reluctant to speak about it.

"What do you expect to find there precisely?" Jack pressed, the orange glow of the campfire illuminating and highlighting his handsome features, onyx eyes sparkling in the flickering light like tiny gemstones. "Surely it has become the ground for a large city by now. What is it that we are to search for?"

"No, I have not built anything upon that place," Aku interjected with an impatient wave of his hand, his eyes still focused on the fire between them, though the look in them was decidedly more distant now. "That land has always been different from all others. Even before my unfortunate landing upon this world. It is time that I returned to it once more. I have neglected it long enough."

"You have still not answered my question," the samurai said, watching the other closely. The demon shot him a sharp look, the sharp edges of his fangs peaking out from beneath his top lip in a half-hearted growl.

"I do not know exactly what I will find there, samurai," he hissed, a familiar fire reappearing in his pitch black eyes, "but I am certain that whatever lies in that wasteland now is key to removing these accursed bonds."

Jack could tell that that wasn't the whole truth. The demon was purposefully keeping something from him, some detail that obviously put him ill at ease. For some reason, Aku didn't seem all that keen on traveling back to the place of his birth, even with the promise of regaining his freedom. Something about those wastelands filled the former overlord with terror. Only... what? And, more importantly, why?

"I must admit that I still do not understand how you came to the conclusion that we should venture there," he started, choosing his words carefully as he regarded his wounded rival. "You speak of it with such conviction, but how can you be so certain that what we seek indeed lies there and not in some other location we have not yet discovered?"

The demon fidgeted where he sat, body tense and eyes purposefully avoiding his gaze.

"Aku?"

"I was... approached by someone," Aku muttered reluctantly, arms crossing over his bandaged chest, tension visible in every line of his thin body.

"_What_?" Despite his best efforts, the samurai could not conceal the surprise in his own voice. The former overlord, to his credit, looked almost chastised, glancing at his human companion from the corner of his eyes as Jack struggled to come to terms with what he'd just heard.

"Who was it?" He asked at last, quickly taking a calming breath before he could say or do anything he would later regret. Getting angry right now would solve nothing. Even if Aku should have told him about this before instead of keeping it to himself.

They really needed to have a conversation about trust if they were to work together.

"I do not know," the demon admitted quietly with a frown and, despite his best efforts, Jack could not spot a lie in the other's words this time. "But... they meant to help us. Of that I am absolutely sure."


	6. Chapter 6

The citadel was deathly silent for once. He couldn't say he was surprised. It's the sort of reaction you could expect after such a... blatant demonstration of power. He would've been highly surprised if there had been a different response to the unprecedented violence. But, then again, he _had_ also expected an uprising, so perhaps this was a preferable reaction to what could've turned into a catastrophe in an instant.

Khürel had to learn to tread carefully from now on, that much was certain. There was only so much that Aku's minions would put up with, especially given the fact that they already despised them for not only defeating their former master, but taking over his tower and lands as well. Whether or not they held a grudge against them for torturing said master remained to be seen. But they had only been put into chains after they had viciously attacked Erden without provocation. While it was true that their youngest member was far from peaceful, he would not knowingly provoke aggression. Especially if it meant impeding their progress in tracking Aku down.

Some would no doubt call their chosen punishment extreme, but if Nergui and his brothers wanted to lead the army of demons, they had to make it clear that they were the ones with the most power. Aku's minions had to understand that their new masters' human nature would not stop them from exercising power if the need ever arose.

The man leaned back in the ornamented stone seat with a heavy sigh, long fingers clasping tightly in his lap.

Aku was learning quickly, that much was certain. They hadn't been picking up any signs of residual dark magic for several days now. The demon could be hotheaded and rash at times, that much was true, but he was far from _stupid_. And the samurai he was traveling with was already well-known worldwide for his quick wits and sharp intellect as well. Between the two of them, they had probably figured it all out by now. Damn it. Just when they had a viable, not to mention reliable, method of reclaiming what rightfully belonged to them, the demon learned how to evade their grasp. This hunt was becoming more and more challenging as the days went by and, while he would've enjoyed it under normal circumstances, it was starting to become tiresome, not to mention troubling. The strain it put on Khürel - even more so.

They needed to figure out new ways of hunting down their little pet. And as soon as possible too. Preferably before the demon managed to figure out how to free himself, or before Nergui's friend could become even more emotionally unstable. Taking his anger out on the servants was only the beginning. He knew that better than anyone. An explosion was coming. One powerful enough to put a strain on ( if not destroy) even such strong bonds as childhood friendship. And he couldn't afford to get caught up in it. Not when he was the only one keeping the three of them together.

But acting without a decent plan was out of the question. Different factors needed to be considered first and foremost if he wanted him and his brothers to be successful. Such as what to do with the troublesome samurai for instance.

He still found it highly peculiar that the other human would be so willing to help his disgraced nemesis, especially given their... long history. Nergui knew about it more than most, being a researcher and all, though many crucial details no doubt still evaded him. Even so, he knew enough to be highly perplexed by the lack of reasoning Jack, of all people, currently exhibited.

Many years ago, the exact date all but impossible to pinpoint, an emperor of one of the many ancient countries decided to venture into a black forest of spikes that was steadily taking over his vast lands. Armed with a strong poison powerful enough to destroy the evil at its core, he rode into the darkness set on destroying his home with his vast army of men. However, he was the only one to make it to the source of the darkness alive as his soldiers fell one by one, consumed alive by the growing menace.

Yet, shooting the magic arrow into the pools at the very center of the unexplained evil did not quite have the effects that the emperor had hoped for. Instead of destroying the very thing that was threatening his lands, the poison and chants gave it shape, intelligence, _life_. Not the reaction the human had probably been hoping for or expecting at all.

Nergui couldn't know what happened after that, couldn't tell if Aku _had_ indeed done anything to provoke the other's aggression, though he couldn't exactly advocate his actions either. However, given the time period, it was highly possible that it was the _emperor_ who had been the one to act rashly, his superstitious (not to mention benighted) mind convincing him that the monstrous being towering over him simply _had_ to be evil. If that was indeed the case, then the man really couldn't blame the demon for reacting the way he did. After repeatedly being spat on, cursed at, blamed for everything that ever went awry in the humans' world, you could only take so much before you reached the breaking point. Being attacked by the very person who had set him free from the dark pools had to have been the last straw for Aku and so, he pushed back.

Though, taking his fury out on a helpless village was certainly taking it a couple steps too far.

But, then again, all of this was mere speculation on his part. Conjecture. There had been no witnesses in that forest besides the old emperor and the demon and any knowledge of how it all had truly gone down was long since lost to time. Nergui knew better than to believe Aku's account of the story. And so, he couldn't possibly deduce with utmost certainty when and why the conflict had truly started, whether it was before the birth of the future draconian lord or after. Thus, with so little reliable information, he could not judge Aku's past actions. But that did not mean that he couldn't judge his recent atrocities.

Yet... why was the samurai not of the same opinion as him? As Khürel? He had lived through all of Aku's crimes, experienced firsthand what the demon could do. It was _because_ of Aku that he had wound up in the future, torn away from his home, bereft of any hope of ever making it back to his own timeline. Yet, despite that, he remained a just person, austere and in control of his own emotions. He even had the inner strength to extend a helping hand to the very being who had destroyed his home, enslaved his people and nearly killed him on several occasions. And even though he tried, Nergui couldn't understand it, couldn't make sense of it.

The samurai was a stark contrast to the three of them and he couldn't figure out why.

A bitter chuckle slipped past his lips and he leaned forward, almost bending in half in the stone seat, his face hidden in his own hands and fingers carding viciously through his own dark hair.

Sarnai would've been ashamed if she saw him now, sitting in the vast empty throne room of Aku's tower, struggling with his own anger and grief and treating her murderer as his personal slave. By god, what had he allowed himself to become?

"Sir?"

He looked up.

Yellow eyes, not unlike a snake's, stared back at him from beneath thick blue wrappings, the golden collar strapped around the minion's neck glowing in the soft gloom of the central chamber, seeming only to grow brighter at its conjurer's close proximity. A light, semi-transparent tablet was clenched tightly in the demon's dark claws, the silver framing glinting almost ominously in the bright glare of the magical bonds keeping the creature safely subdued.

Nergui reached out, gently taking it from the reluctant minion, not missing the flash of suppressed loathing in those slitted eyes, the barely-there tension in that strong, yet lean body, the quick twitch of sharp claws as they resisted the urge to clench into fists.

The man couldn't say that he was taken aback by the reaction, he had expected it. Had even prepared himself to be insulted, or, in the worst-case scenario, attacked. But he had to admit, that he still found the reaction beyond interesting.

The demons were still loyal to their former master, and that puzzled him about as much as it did Khürel. They had both assumed that the dark creatures revered power, always pledged their loyalty to the strongest being in the room. Yet, that was obviously not the case here as they failed to follow their orders without question or complaint, even after Aku's defeat at the humans' hands. He would have to look into it, that was for certain. Preferably before they had to deal with a mass rebellion.

"Thank you," he said softly with a polite smile, idly flicking the tablet on, dark gray eyes quickly skimming through the displayed reports from the mines and other operations that had previously been under the overlord's control. Despite his burning hatred towards the other, Nergui had to acknowledge the fact that he was highly impressed by the demon's ability to tend to all matters at once and still have the time to keep an eye on the samurai warrior. Even with the many superhuman abilities at his disposal. "That will be all."

Yellow eyes brightened in unbridled surprise and the minion hesitated for several moments, shifting awkwardly from one foot to the other, before dipping his head in a curt nod, turning sharply on his heel and leaving his new master to his own devices. Even so, the man didn't miss the way the servant turned to glance at him over his shoulder, the blue form soon disappearing from his sight as the demon turned around the corner. Nergui hid a small smile.

There were other, far more effective ways of earning someone's respect and obedience than violent beatings and threats. Something that both Khürel and Erden had yet to learn. No matter, they would do so eventually. After all, they were still young. Though.. no, that wasn't exactly right, was it? They didn't exactly have all the time in the world. Aku was still out there, beyond their grasp and untraceable, most likely planning some way to regain his lost powers. And he wasn't working alone.

A certain servant was missing from their ranks and Nergui had a nasty suspicion about where he could've gone... and whom he could've helped.

Unbeknownst to the human, he was not the only one wondering about what was to come.

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

They were laughing at him, taking images of his misery, the bright flashes of light making him wince and turn away in pain as he had long since grown used to the constant darkness. Even through the persistent ringing in his ears he could hear the vile taunts, the insults, the derogatory remarks thrown his way. Could faintly discern them discussing him between themselves, guffawing, acting as if he wasn't even there with them. Blocking them out was impossible, he'd learnt that a long time ago, but he tried to do so anyway, shame roiling in his battered and bruised chest.

The same, desperate thoughts rang through his mind, as if on a loop.

_Please... stop... Please, just..let me be.. I can't .. can't take it anymore.._

There was a shuffling sound of something sliding heavily against the dusty stone floor and he curled up, just in time to shield his vulnerable midsection from the strong kick sent his way. A choked whine wrung itself past his green lips, the only sound of pain he could muster in that moment, his throat already sore from all the screaming. A hand grasped him by one of the horns still crowning the right side of his face, pulling him upwards, completely disregarding the pain and overwhelming hurt the action caused to radiate through his injured body.

"Beg for us to stop, Aku," a voice whispered and the demon flinched at the feeling of the familiar steel edge of the dagger trailing up his front, stopping right beneath his chin and forcing him to look up at his human captor. "If you want the pain to stop, all you have to do is ask us for it."

Aku used this opportunity to promptly spit in the human's face.

A heavy thud echoed through the entirety of the small cell, the demon's head snapping to the side from the powerful blow and colliding with a sickening crack against the cold stone wall. The former overlord could not stop himself from grimacing at the bitter, copper-like taste of his own essence filling his mouth, minuscule drops of the pitch black liquid dripping sluggishly from where his own fangs had sank into his lip and down his green chin to the stained floor below.

"Wrong answer," the other hissed and a helpless scream echoed down the prison's halls as the dagger sank with vicious cruelty into the bound black body, Aku's claws clenching tightly around the chains holding him up, by far the only support he had in that moment. The knife twisted, sinking deeper into him and he writhed within his bonds, tried to throw the other off him, but to no avail.

"Beg!"

White, hot agony consuming him, he didn't even notice as the desperate, choked pleas for mercy finally wrung themselves past his lips, eyes screwed tightly shut and a familiar wetness swiftly gathering in their corners.

It did the trick. The torment finally ceased.

The dagger was wrenched out of him with savage cruelty and he collapsed against the unforgiving stone wall, battered chest heaving in desperate gasps. He could feel their eyes on his essence, but couldn't quite bring himself to care, trembling violently where he sat on the hard ground of his personal prison. All he cared about was that the torture was over. It was over.

"That's better. You should learn to obey your masters," the ringleader remarked, a pleased note in his voice, but Aku didn't have any strength left within him to formulate a snide response, too busy fervently gulping in the cold air, unable to stop himself from trembling.

Shame washed over him with startling force. How easily he gave in to the other now, how readily. Just so he wasn't hurt, wasn't torn into anymore. Aku was no longer the same strong being he had once been. He no longer had the strength to fight back, to defend himself, and the human knew it, using that against him in order to slowly break him apart and bend to his will. The demon was ashamed and terrified to admit that it was working.

Golden flecks of disintegrating dark essence fell from his newest wound, falling to the dirty floor and disappearing before they could even come into contact with it. The chains rattled noisily as he sagged within them, unable to keep himself upright, shuddering all over. This was his life now. His purpose. His fate.

Aku was no longer the master of anything.

Fingers tapped against his head in a patronizing pat and he grit his curved fangs, forcing himself to glare up at his assailant, though the baleful stare lacked the usual heat, instead filled with pain and barely-controlled anguish.

Khürel's eyes narrowed, but he reluctantly took a step away from the injured being, the sharp glint of the dagger soon vanishing in the folds of his clothes. The demon's weak defiance didn't matter. He would deal with it tomorrow, pick up right from where he left off. There was no need for hurry. He should instead take the time to enjoy this, to drag it out for as long as possible.

After all, Aku was already starting to crack. It was only a matter of time before he broke completely.

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

Aku was having a nightmare again.

By now he'd learnt the subtle signs of the demon's distress by heart: the sharp clench of dark claws; the faint tremors that travelled the length of the thin, malnourished-looking body; the barely audible whimpers and gasps for air...

He made sure to comfort the other each time, settling as close as he dared without intruding too much into the former ruler's personal space. Though, he could not help, but feel with startling clarity his own inadequacy at handling such vivid emotions each time as he failed to make the symptoms vanish completely. _This_ was far worse than the Scotsman's grief over his wife's kidnapping had ever been.

Gentle fingers brushed up and down the demon's spine in soothing caresses, a soft rumble filling the dark confines of their temporary shelter as he muttered all the comforting words he could possibly think of, onyx eyes clouded in sympathy and grief. He avoided touching certain areas, Aku's sides and horns most of all. Jack had learnt not to the hard way.

It seemed that whatever the humans had done had made Aku reluctant, if not afraid, to be touched in certain places, the painful memories associated with his injuries prohibiting him from ever doing so much as brushing his own claws against them. His horns most of all. The last time the samurai had tried to reach for them, to see if they needed to be tended to as well, the demon had lurched away from him with a terrified shriek, eyes wide and chest heaving in panicked breaths. It had taken Jack a long while to calm him after that, assuring that he wouldn't make any more attempts to touch them until the other was prepared for it.

The utterly fear-stricken look Aku had sent his way broke his heart.

The demon seemed to slowly settle as the samurai stayed by his side, still murmuring soft comfort, fingertips gently tracing the raised ridges of visible closed wounds. They were going to scar, he knew that, the essence there far too damaged to ever regenerate completely. Could tell by their slightly rougher texture and the lighter shade of gray they were steadily taking on as the days went by. He could only hope that they would disappear once the other regained his former power, but some part of him doubted they ever would. Barely noticeable, they would always be there, serving as bitter reminders of the trials Aku had gone through. The samurai himself had collected many similar blemishes over the years he'd spent fighting for what he believed in. He knew better than anyone what it felt like to be.. damaged. Though as time went by, he'd learnt to carry them with pride, taught himself not to consider them as disfigurement, but instead reminders of his many victories in the name of his fallen country.

The samurai doubted Aku would ever be able to view his own in a similar fashion.

Jack watched those gray claws unclench from where they had been digging into the friable ground, the dark shoulders falling from their stiff hold as the residual tension slowly melted away. That was a good sign. Meant that whatever bad dream or flashback the other had been suffering from was slowly starting to ebb.

This had become a routine by now. Jack could only hope that the nightmares would eventually abate even though his instincts told him they wouldn't. Not for a long while anyway. Perhaps not even for years to come. Provided they made it that long.

While with time and patience Aku would someday be able to feel safe again, the warrior doubted the other would ever fully recover. It was not something you brushed off easily, especially for someone who had gone for countless eons believing that he was untouchable. The memories would always be there to haunt him. Even when Aku stopped flinching at his touch. Even when he no longer curled into a tight ball and shuddered from overwhelming fright, his arms shielding his vulnerable midsection. The faint recollections of past pain and suffering would forever stick with him, whispering darkly in the back of his mind.

Aku would always question and second-guess himself after this, if he ever managed to regain his powers and take back his throne. Would always wonder if the next people he crossed would end up hurting him all over again. Jack was disgusted at the faint sense of schadenfreude that thought brought him. The demon's crimes aside, what had been done to him was beyond despicable, of that, at least, he was absolutely sure.

The rosy light of sunrise hit his face the moment he turned towards the mouth of the cave and Jack couldn't hide a small smile at the pleasant warmth. He had been right after all, spring was indeed coming and quickly at that. However, they needed to get out of the mountains before it could fully set in, otherwise making their way down would become highly problematic with the melting snow, if not dangerous. Aku was still far too weak to handle a long and rough climb, even though he still had enough pride within him not to admit it. They would have to tread carefully and hope that they did not encounter any hostiles until they were on more stable ground.

With that thought in mind, he slowly rose to his feet, carefully avoiding disturbing the still slumbering demon as he made his way over to the entrance, peering out at the world outside. Aku had been suffering from a bad case of insomnia lately, and thus needed all the rest he could get if they were to ever be successful in their quest.

The heavens overhead were already starting to brighten as the sun slowly rose above the horizon, taking on a gorgeous orange hue as the golden orb climbed higher and higher, the glowing dots of distant stars steadily vanishing and giving way to the blinding light. A warm breeze brushed against his form, the folds of his gi billowing in the otherwise chilly air. Even so, the presence of a warm current pleased him. It meant that the harsh winter months were finally giving way to the warmer seasons for sure, making not only traveling far easier (provided they left the mountainside), but hunting for food and water as well.

He waited for the sun to rise a little bit higher before turning back to his companion, only to find Aku already awake, the demon's forlorn gaze fixed on the breathtaking landscape outside. For a minute he had to wonder if he had been the one to accidentally wake the other. Months of imprisonment had made Aku an incredibly light sleeper and even the smallest sounds were enough to rouse him. However, judging by the way the former overlord recoiled from the sunlight streaming into the confines of the small cavern, a sharp, strangled hiss escaping his lips, it wasn't his fault this time.

He should've known. If Aku _had_ been kept in an underground cell, judging by the short recording he'd seen, it was highly possible that the demon had been kept in the dark long enough to become sensitive to bright lights, needed a longer time to adjust to them.

Pity welling in his chest at the sight, he lowered himself to one knee before the other, reaching for the white bandages at Aku's hesitant nod. This had become routine by now as well, the samurai checking the other's wounds every morning and evening, changing the wrappings after cleaning the deep lacerations as best he could while the demon tried to remain as still as possible during the oftentimes painful process. Even though Jack's overly close proximity made his insides squirm in fear and his claws to twitch as he stopped himself from pushing the human away and bolting in the opposite direction.

"We have to make our way out of the mountains," Jack said, voice soft and quiet as he worked, doing his best not to startle Aku by making any sudden actions. That had not ended well before. "Spring is coming. It will be far too difficult to travel the mountainside when the warmth fully sets in."

Aku nodded absentmindedly, the only indication that he'd even heard what the samurai was saying, the look in his black eyes still dangerously distant. The samurai couldn't say he blamed him. Yesterday's events had come as a bad shock to the wounded demon, practically forcing him to realize the full horror of what he'd done over the years in his mad quest for power. Having experienced the same pain those slaves had, the demon had been quite shaken by the sight, been faced with a few harsh truths about both himself and the world they now lived in. Although he had wanted this for so long, wanted Aku to realize what he was doing and, perhaps, even change... he had not wanted the realization to come like this. Not like this. Not at the grave cost of the demon's freedom.

Aku hadn't been lying the evening before when he'd said his wounds were getting better. To his great relief, Jack could see that they were indeed slowly starting to close, the golden glow of damaged essence slowly fading, taking on a gray hue. Unfortunately, it didn't seem like the demon was going to be regaining his original colors anytime soon, still seeming discolored and sickly. But, they had to be grateful for the fact that he was healing at all, given the circumstances.

Taking out the swiftly shrinking roll of cloth, he carefully reached around the other, doing his best to ignore the way Aku flinched away from him, carefully wrapping the clean bandages around the worst of the wounds marring the other's chest and midsection. The demon couldn't stop the pained hiss that wrung itself past his lips as his injuries were still tender to the touch, even the faintest brushes against them unpleasant at best and painful at worst. The samurai only murmured a soft apology in reply, instantly withdrawing out of Aku's personal space once he was done and watching as his nemesis slowly hauled himself to his feet, using the nearby wall as leverage.

They gathered their few belongings in silence, Jack doing a quick survey of the cave to make sure they hadn't left anything behind on accident before following the demon outside.

The sun had risen significantly by then, casting the snow encased landscape in warm, yellow rays the distant songs of early birds reaching the human's hearing almost instantly, a soft smile pulling at the corner of his lips at the sound. It would seem that the birds were already starting to return to their summer homes, riding the warm drafts of air from wherever they'd been staying during the last few months. It was a preferable change to the usual deathly silence the forests held and he welcomed it as much as he did the change in temperature. Aku seemed to notice them as well, his eyes narrowing slightly and the horns decorating the right side of his face angling themselves, as if he were trying to use them to pinpoint their exact location. Though, that didn't seem to work as well as the disgraced ruler had hoped as he almost instantly lowered them to their original position, fangs glinting in the bright sunlight as he grimaced.

Whether it was out of pain or disappointment at his still damaged hearing, the samurai didn't know.

Aku still refused to talk about what happened all those months ago. Avoided the topic of his sustained injuries and of his captors at all costs, seeming to shut down every time Jack tried to gently question him about his experience. If he were being completely honest with himself, the samurai understood him, did not find himself able to judge him when he would've- _had_ done the same in the demon's place. It was hard to open up to a loved one as it were, but a foe that you had been fighting for many years? Infinitely more so. As much as it hurt him to admit, Jack knew that the demon didn't trust him, still expected himself to be handed over to his former captors at the slightest inconvenience. And that upset him.

He couldn't _help_ Aku if he didn't know what happened, couldn't possibly start figuring out the triggers that sent the other into a frenzied panic and that he could learn to avoid, couldn't find the right comforting words whenever the other was suffering from another flashback or attack. The demon wouldn't let him in. Refused to show his pain. Even after Jack's promise back in that inn.

Onyx eyes narrowed, and he let out a heavy sigh, his fingers twitching and curling where they were hidden in the folds of his gi in frustration.

But, then again, he himself didn't trust Aku completely, did he? Not after... after everything. Enslaving his people, destroying his village, throwing him into the future, turning everyone against him and sending countless bounty hunters and robots to kill him. Those things were not easily forgiven, or forgotten. Even if he knew that the demon had already paid a heavy price for them.

Aku shuddered beside him, dull claws clenching around the thick fabric of the borrowed winter cape, black eyes watching the world surrounding them with open wariness. Jack had to resist the urge to reach out, to touch the disgraced demon, to drag him out of whatever dark memories he'd fallen into this time, but thought against it at the last minute. There was nothing he could say or do that would magically take Aku's pain away. They both knew that. However, the least he could do was make sure that Aku knew he was being cared for, that he, like anyone, _deserved_ to be cared for. That he wasn't alone. That someone was there with him, _for_ him. That someone _cared_.

No matter what Khürel and his people said.

"Aku,..." He began and the demon turned to glance at him, the look in his eyes glassy and seemingly lifeless. Jack opened his mouth, ready to say something, anything to reassure the injured being as much as he could, but never quite got the chance to do so.

A distant explosion shattered the peaceful sounds of the awakening forest, the ground shaking beneath their feet.

He instantly fell into a crouch, bracing one hand on the cold ground and signaling for Aku to do the same, his fingers already reaching for the familiar handle of his sword.

Jack only had half a second to draw it before a golden blade could slice off his head.

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

"How is he?" The minion asked, carefully making his way into the darkened room that now served as their.. barracks, of sorts, yellow eyes glowing softly from beneath the blue cloth wrapped around his lean form.

Akua looked up from where she was busy tending to their injured comrade, instantly alarmed to the new presence, but the soothing, animalistic purr of the newcomer almost immediately put her at ease, recognition and relief flashing through those yellow eyes before she turned back to her work. "Not good," she sighed, voice soft and quiet as she did her best to tend to the deep, golden wounds littering the black body of their fellow servant. Light blue wrappings lay in tatters at her feet. "Not good at all."

"Will he live?" Akou asked, moving a bit closer, the light of his eyes dimming at the muffled, pathetic whine of pain that wrung itself from his wounded comrade's throat. However, reaching out to touch the other soon proved to be a mistake as Akua hissed at him in warning, quickly batting his clawed hand away from the other servant's broken form. He immediately took a step back, raising his hands in front of him in a placating manner.

"Too early to tell. Khürel sure did a number on him," Akua said at last, practically spitting out the human's name in disgust, carefully rubbing a magic infused remedy, not unlike the one that had once been used on their former master, into the others wounds, a quiet rumble escaping her chest at the weak cry that action earned her. "Instead of standing there, why don't you help me turn him on his side? I can't get to the other injuries like this."

Akou silently reached out, carefully slipping his claws beneath the other's form and helping to move him so that Akua could reach the other wounds, eyes dimming even more at the weak cries and faint struggles that action earned him. "Can't you put him out for this?"

"I can't," Akua snapped in controlled anger, her tone quickly softening when Akou quickly stepped away from her, yellow eyes wide. "I was forbidden to."

"_What_?!" The other hissed, the air seeming to grow colder at the whispered admission. Not that it was particularly warm down here to begin with. "What do you mean you were 'forbidden' to?! Who forbade you?! Can't you see that he's in _pain_?!"

"Trust me, I can!" Akua snarled, quickly losing her patience, the soft red glow of the healing incantations she'd been using swiftly fading from her fingertips. "But there's nothing I can do! If I disobey a direct order now, I could be the one to end up like this next. And who's gonna be there to fix the rest of you up if that happens, huh? Because I'm quite sure that the humans won't care if all of you end up dead."

Akou stepped away, black claws clenching in suppressed anger, frustration practically rolling off his form in waves. "We should have helped him," he said voice barely more than a whisper compared to his previous loud declarations. "We should have helped Aku."

Silence fell between them, only disturbed by the quiet whimpers and whines of their injured comrade, Akua gently shushing him as she tended to the deep wounds to the best of her ability. "We've talked about this before. You know as well as I do that there's nothing we could've done then. If Aku himself couldn't break out of the chains they conjured, what hope did we have of doing so?"

Akou reluctantly looked away, crossing his arms over his blue chest, posture tense. He knew the other was right, but that failed to make him feel better. "We should've still done _something_."

"We _are_ doing something," Akua uttered with a heavy sigh, resuming her weak incantations, all she could really manage with the golden bonds severely limiting her natural supply of magic. "All we can really do right now is hold out and try to get out of these chains until Aku comes back for his throne, for us. We can help him take over again then. However, antagonizing the humans now and putting all of us at risk isn't helping anyone and will only lead to more injuries. If not deaths. My advice? Keep your head down and for the love of god, don't do anything stupid. If you end up on this bed next I will seriously consider putting you out of your misery myself."

Akou allowed himself a small smile, baring his fangs even though the other couldn't see them with the blue wrappings covering up half of his face. "That a threat?"

His companion looked up, mischief and relief glinting in those yellow, snake-like eyes. "A promise."

The sound of the door of their small sleeping quarters crashing against the stone walls with a loud bang instantly dragged their attention away from their conversation and instead to the newcomer now standing in the doorway, alarm flashing over their covered faces.

"They're going after Aku!" The new minion snarled, fear and worry filling his voice, his black body trembling where he stood, looking like he was all but ready to collapse. Akou instantly rushed forward, holding his fellow servant up, slitted yellow eyes wide.

"What?!"

The other minion shook his head, practically shaking in his arms in terror.

"I think.. I think they figured out how the mirror works!.."


	7. Chapter 7

He knew what so many thought of him. Thought of his species as a whole. What they all considered them to really be. Cold, unfeeling, downright merciless and cruel. Thought that the only things they ever really craved in their lives were the blood and suffering of others. That one of the only things they truly ever respected was power. The people were not entirely wrong on that account either. He did want and revere those things, as well as his comrades. To some extent anyway. But those were far from the only things he desired.

More than anything, he and his brothers and sisters had always wished for a place they could call home. Craved to be recognized. Wanted to be regarded as fellow creatures of this world, as deserving of life and acceptance as everyone else. But they had always been denied that seemingly small courtesy, been hunted down, ostracized and stigmatized by the ever-righteous humans themselves. Until Aku that is.

Aku had been the first being in the world to see their pain. The first creature to extend them a helping hand, to treat them with dignity, to give them a real home. And if he wanted them to follow his orders and do his bidding in return, well, it was a rather small price to pay for finally being accepted by _someone_. The demons had pledged their loyalty to him then and there and they never once regretted that decision, even in the eons to come.

They had been rewarded for that choice in the subsequent years too. The overlord had given them everything they could possibly want after their oath, including the chance of getting their revenge on the very people who had oppressed and pushed them aside for so long. The emperor of one ancient country in particular. The mere thought of that human still made every last one of them snarl in anger and even rage, yellow eyes flashing in fury and fangs baring in a scowl behind the blue cloth covering most of their faces.

The emperor had hurt their master, had hurt them and claimed that what he was doing was in the name of 'all that is good', blissfully blind to his own hypocrisy and senseless cruelty. And his son was much the same, if not even worse. Cutting down many of their brethren, nearly killing their master, jeopardizing everything the demons were trying to build and enforcing the same weak, idealistic and naive nonsense as the man before him. They hated him. Loathed him with every inch of their beings, almost as much as Aku himself did.

But now, here they were, chained down and severely weakened with that same emperor's son as their master's only hope of making it out of this alive. Which only made what was happening around them all the more terrifying to witness.

"You... you can't do this," he said, voice barely more than a whisper, horror overtaking him with startling speed. "No! You can't do this!" Strong arms wrapped around his torso, keeping him back as he lunged forth, claws outstretched, desperate to get at the humans who had basically just signed Aku's death warrant. He could almost sense the intangible, bitter fear and despair blooming amongst his comrades, the utter loss of any hope, which only made him struggle against Akita's hold all the more violently, yellow eyes wide and bright with rage. He shoved against the others claws, lashed out at him, the golden bonds around his neck flashing in the dark gloom of the central chamber as he turned to his brothers and sisters, desperation thickly coating his voice. "We can't allow them to do this!"

"Stay back, fool," Akua hissed from beside him, sharp claws digging into his upper arms and helping Akita to keep him immobilized. Despite her own words, she, too, was shaking in horror. "There's nothing we can do. Stay back." Despite the loud struggles echoing throughout the stone chamber, the humans didn't seem all that bothered by the palpable distress surrounding them, their attention directed elsewhere and Aku's former scientists still whispering something in their ears that none of them could hear. Only one of their new 'masters', in fact, seemed to be paying attention to their sorrow and fear.

Nergui's gunmetal gray eyes flashed in their direction.

In the mirror, the scientists' newest robot lunged forward, golden, magical blades slicing through the cold early spring air with a sharp whistle, the samurai blocking the quick and powerful blows mere seconds before they could come into contact with his neck. That is, up until he was unceremoniously picked up by the middle and thrown into the surrounding trees with frightening brutality of course. But very few were truly paying attention to or concerned about the human warrior.

Aku looked better than when they'd seen him last, but only just. The bandages now wrapped neatly around him were clean and obviously soft, quite different from the ones the vile humans had used before the demon's escape. His injuries were obviously starting to slowly heal too, those that were visible to the silent observers anyways. Even the dark bags under his eyes looked just a shade lighter. But their master was so pale, so _utterly _pale. Looked almost... bleached. Demons weren't usually this gray unless they were... No... That couldn't be true. Aku couldn't be... couldn't possibly be wishing for...

Akou wrenched against the clawed hands holding him back with new fervor, fangs bared behind the blue mask covering up most of his face. An angered, anguished shout, more of a howl than a scream, wrung itself from his heaving chest, bouncing off the stone walls and echoing down the dark hallways, soon joined by the cacophony of agonized wails of his fellow servants. They all knew the true meaning of what they were seeing. They all knew what this meant for their master and they were crying out for him, for themselves, for their ruined future.

"_Shut up!_" Khürel's voice boomed and there was a loud crackle of electricity as their collars discharged as one, sending those that were much weaker than most to their knees. The claws around him vanished, both Akita and Akua grasping at their bonds in overwhelming pain, shaking where they stood with the effort of keeping themselves upright, eyes screwed tightly shut. Akou collapsed heavily to the floor, wracking coughs assaulting his clothed form, sharp claws scrabbling frantically at the polished stone. A hand wrapped around his throat, hauling him upwards and he struggled, claws curling around the strong wrist with almost feral desperation, his yellow, snake-like eyes meeting icy blue.

Erden grinned down at him, baring his dull human teeth in a cruel, disgusting smile. Akou only hissed back vehemently in utter fury and defiance, thrashing violently in the youngest human's hold. Even though the demon minion was far from the largest among his brethren, he was still stronger than most and yet his writhing did nothing, barely affected one of Aku's captors and seemed only to amuse him instead, if the soft, vile and sadistic laughter now echoing in his ears was anything to go by. Soft fingers brushed against his collar, the golden band pulsing at its conjurer's touch and carvings suddenly appearing on its usually polished surface, displaying his name and number to his new master. "AK08, huh? Better known as 'Akou' amongst your brethren. I remember you... Weren't you the one who had tried to visit your former master when we had him in our custody?"

Akou said nothing in reply, yellow eyes merely narrowing into tiny slits of defiance, dark claws still digging into human flesh and yet failing to draw blood. Since when was mortal skin impenetrable?

Akua scrambled to her feet beside them, body taut with fear and panic for her companion's wellbeing and clawed hands trembling violently at her sides. "Sir, please, Akou did not mean any disrespect-"

The demon's collar suddenly discharged for a second time that day, sending her crashing down to her knees with a pain filled cry. A heavy foot slammed brutally against the minion's chest, successfully keeping her immobilized, Erden's fingers never leaving Akou's neck. "I remember you too. You're the sole medic among your comrades, aren't you? Figures that neither Aku nor you would bother yourselves with a lot of medical training. Seeing as you believed yourself to be so _invincible_ for so long."

"Let her go!" Akou hissed through clenched teeth, the fingers around him tightening to the point of brutality, his black essence, so different yet so similar to Aku's own pulsing a panicked rhythm in his ears. He struggled in Erden's hold, fought against it with every inch of his being, but despite it all the human remained unfazed, the look in his blue eyes becoming almost bored. "It's me you want, let her go!"

"No, no I don't think so," the human said at last, a nasty smile stretching across his angular face. A heavy thud echoed through the vast room as he abruptly let go of Akou's neck, the demon minion collapsing heavily onto the polished, red stone floor. Akua struggled as pale fingers wrapped around the scruff of her neck, tried to free herself before her body could instinctively go limp in response, yellow eyes wide in barely contained terror.

Aku's gathered minions could only watch in horror as she was dragged away from the thick throng of her brethren, unable, powerless to help her with the magical binds keeping them rooted to where they stood.

"I think a lesson needs to be taught here, seeing as the last one failed so miserably," Erden sneered with a nasty smile, glancing not so subtly at his human companions from beneath his long, messy bangs. Khürel only tilted his head in his brother's direction, his eyes narrowing imperceptibly beneath the safety of his heavy hood. "Let's see how rebellious you'll all be after your friend and by far only medical help is taken away from you.. probably permanently."

Akou tried to move, he really did. Tried to stand to his feet and fight, but failed miserably, his body suddenly feeling impossibly heavy and beyond his control. Akua's last frightened look in his direction and reaching claws broke whatever passed as the demon's heart into a million pieces, despair swiftly taking hold.

"I'll be back soon, Khürel," Erden informed his companions almost cheerfully, the massive doors of the throne room swinging open before him with a simple, quick flick of a wrist. "Make sure to call me before Aku is recaptured, won't you? It would be a shame if I missed the look on his face when he realizes that his little escape attempt was all for nothing."

As soon as the human was gone, gentle claws wrapped around Akou's sides, helping him up from the cold ground. He collapsed heavily against the strong form of his comrade behind him, legs still unable to bear his whole weight and shaking terribly. Akita said nothing even as he pressed close, their demonic comrades around them silently reaching out towards each other in a show of support during the dark times they suddenly found themselves in. Black claws brushed against tense shoulders, soothing yet obviously forced purrs and quiet rumbles sounding throughout the vast room as they huddled together as one, taking comfort from the close proximity of their fellow demons.

They hadn't done this in many years, not since the emperor's reign, or since Aku had taken them under his proverbial wing in fact. Had never really needed to do this in order to comfort each other during the long years of the overlord's rule. Up until now.

Khürel soon turned his back on the heartbreaking scene, quickly growing bored and disdainful of the pathetic sight, his arms crossing in a tense manner behind his back. Nergui however found that he couldn't quite do the same, even as the scientists beside him started rattling off once more, excited to please and blissfully unaware of the deep-rooted disgust and hatred he already held for them after just a few minutes of conversation.

These were the same people who had designed the beetle-drones in the first place, the successors of those who had helped to speed up Aku's takeover of the entire world. Loyalty and honor obviously meant nothing to them as they had almost instantly changed allegiances upon learning of the overlord's defeat, quickly coming up with schematics for machines that would hopefully be powerful enough to bring both the demon and the samurai to their knees. He had expected such behavior from Aku's demon minions, but... not from humans. Anyone but the humans. And yet.. the reality was the complete opposite of his expectations. He should really get used to that by now.

Gunmetal gray eyes narrowed.

This sort of loyalty was dangerous and yet he seemed to be the only one to see the threat it presented. Should Aku ever manage to regain his powers and come to reclaim his throne, presumably not alone and with the samurai at his side, the demons could choose to rise up against them as well. Even with their magic, Nergui knew that he, along with his brothers, would not stand a single chance against all of them rebelling together. The minions' odd... attachment had to be broken. Preferably before such a thing could happen. But how was he supposed to do that?

His features darkened in thought and he turned away from the saddening scene, his attention returning to the massive mirror displaying their lost pet.

It didn't matter right now. He would be able to figure out a way soon enough. Nergui was sure of it.

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

Aku only had a few seconds to jump aside as the robot lunged forward, his back colliding heavily against the trunk of a nearby tree, eyes going painfully wide and fangs glinting in the sunlight streaming into the small clearing through the gaps in bare branches. He hadn't heard it's approach, _couldn't_ have possibly heard its approach with his damaged hearing-

He ducked, the drone's razor sharp, magic-infused blade just narrowly grazing against his essence and slicing clean through the bark behind him with terrifying ease, the tree creaking and groaning before falling to the snow-laden earth with a ground-shaking thud. The demon quickly scrambled to his feet, chest heaving with panicked breaths, black eyes almost frantically searching for the familiar white form of the samurai.

Jack was still lying dazed a few meters away, trying desperately (and unsuccessfully) to drag himself upright, leaning heavily against his sword and trembling all the while, obviously deeply shaken by the powerful blow he had not been able to dodge.

This... this wasn't one of his usual drones. The demon didn't recognize it, no matter how much he wracked his memory in an effort to do so. This was something else, something new and much, much more dangerous. Where the human's sword would've usually cut right through the machine's body by now, here it barely made a scratch, the golden metal remaining as polished and unmarred as when the robot had first appeared before them. It was much smarter too, avoiding the samurai's strikes as if it _anticipated_ his every movement, sending him collapsing back to the snowy ground in a matter of seconds.

Fear washed over him with chest-crushing force. Aku already knew why it had come here, knew who it was after and where it had been ordered to take him.

Back to his citadel. Back into the hands of his human captors.

Cold, metallic and unforgiving fingers wrapped around his throat, his senses far too clouded from the suffocating terror for him to dodge them in time, pinning him against a thick trunk of a neighboring tree and successfully holding him up, even as he struggled violently against it, tears of overwhelming fear prickling at the corner of his eyes. He instantly fell still at the familiar, oh so painfully familiar sensation of a blade slowly trailing up his front, stopping at his throat, just above the loathed golden collar locking most of his powers away. The robot leaned forward, the pressure against what passed as his jugular steadily growing by tiny increments and suddenly... Aku knew that he wasn't scared anymore. If anything, he was.. he was _relieved_.

His claws relaxed of their own accord, slowly uncurling from where they had been clenched tightly around the cold metal, his arms falling limply to his sides. His whole body seemed to sag in the crushing hold, his will to fight swiftly abandoning him. He didn't hear Jack scream out his name, didn't catch the obvious notes of fear and panic in the human's voice. Didn't see the samurai struggle to his feet, nearly toppling over almost instantly in his desperate bid to get to the injured demon and the machine set on killing him before it was far too late. All Aku cared about in that moment was the feeling of the blade slowly, so _painfully_, so _torturously_ slowly sinking into his essence...

_If only it would slice through his neck already. If only it would end this just a little bit faster..._

He was ready to die.

There was a sudden flash of a startlingly blue metal, a sharp whistle of something slicing viciously through the cold air- and suddenly the beetle-like head of the new drone was gone.

Sparks flew everywhere and the cold fingers around him vanished, allowing him to collapse heavily to the snow-laden ground. Wracking, violent coughing assaulted his malnourished-looking body as the impact knocked the air out of his battered chest, his dark gray claws scrabbling against the wet soil for some purchase so that he could push himself up-

"Well, this is certainly not what Ay expected te find 'ere," a voice, heavily accented and completely unfamiliar sounded above him and he looked up, vision blurry and the world around him, along with the image of his unexpected savior, distorted into nigh unrecognizable shapes. "Has nobody ever taught ye how te defend yerself, ye shiverin' windbag?"

"Scotsman!" Jack's voice, strangely relieved and almost joyful, came from his left, barely discernible through the intense ringing in his ears. Pale fingers reached out toward him, obviously with the intention of helping him up, but they never met their mark as the burly human shoved his smaller companion away from the collapsed demon, ginger brows furrowed.

"What in the blitherin' blue blazes do ye think yer doin', laddie?" The stranger boomed, his peg leg blocking the samurai's view of his injured companion, black eyes narrowed dangerously and his thick arms crossing over his broad chest in a tense, confrontational manner.

"I... was about to help Aku up," the samurai stated slowly and uncertainly, onyx eyes watching the muscular man warily, concern briefly flashing over his handsome features as he caught sight of the demon's shaking form despite the Scotsman doing his best to block his view. "Please, stand aside so that I may help him to his feet."

"Are ye mad, laddie?!" The Scotsman rumbled, incredulousness all but dripping off his massive form in waves. "Have ye completely lost yer marbles?! Sold 'em to the highest bidda'? Lost yer stuped head baske' and fried yer brain?! I thought me buddies were lyin' when they said ye were helpin' him! Him of all people! Yet here you are! The hell de ye think yer doin' with the likes of Akew?!"

"_Do you see it now? Their hatred_?" A soft, almost gentle yet at the same time poisonous voice whispered into the demon's ear, easily drowning out the sounds of the two arguing men. Ghostly knuckles trailed down the side of his face in a false, deceptive caress, a mockery of a lover's touch, long fingers grasping Aku forcefully by the chin and forcing him to look up- right into the cold, terrifyingly familiar brown eyes of the human ringleader.

His breath stalling in his battered chest, Aku's own eyes instantly snapped shut of their own accord, his form starting to shake as he gasped desperately for air that he suddenly didn't have.

No... nononono, the human couldn't be here. He was miles upon miles away, in the demon's former citadel. He couldn't possibly _be_ here!...

"_No one's ever going to even think of helping you, Aku,_" Khürel whispered, his fingers swiping with surprising gentleness over the former ruler's green cheek, wiping away the tears that Aku hadn't even noticed were still building up in the corners of his eyes up until that moment, his entire body shaking with the effort of keeping himself together. "_The samurai may have told you otherwise, but he is lying. After all, we both know that you are beyond redemption_."

Dark, trembling claws clamped tightly over the sides of his head, Aku's body practically folding in half as he curled in on himself, violent tremors traveling the length of his body and his eyes clenched tightly shut. Despite his best efforts, he could not block out the vile voice completely. "_You do not deserve help, you do realize that, right? You should not be treated with any compassion. After all, how can a monster like you truly even know the slightest bit about real empathy?_"

Aku couldn't stop himself from trembling, couldn't stop himself from listening, his clawed hands shaking violently where they were clenched tightly around his head. He was only too acutely aware of the conjured bonds pulsing against his essence. "_It is only a matter of time before the samurai comes to his senses. You know that, don't you, Aku? Soon enough, he will hurt you too and you will be powerless to stop him. After all, what right do you have to fight against him when you know that you deserve to be punished for all the terrible things you've done?_"

"Aku?"

Gentle fingers brushed against his shoulder and he barely stopped himself from screaming, flinching violently away from the unexpected touch, eyes snapping open and claws scrabbling at the dark bark of the tree behind him.

The hallucination was gone and Jack stood before him in its place, his raven hair still messy from the recent battle and cascading over his shoulders in dark waves, his onyx eyes wide and worried. Behind him, the man, Scotsman, as Jack had referred to him, was watching them warily, alarm and shock written all over his crude features. The demon vaguely remembered him now. Hadn't he put out a price on his head long before Jack's arrival in the future?

Aku trembled, his arms winding around his knees and his chest pressing against his legs as he curled into an even tighter ball against the comforting bark of a nearby tree, shuddering periodically, unable to meet either of their gazes and shame coursing through him at full force. The samurai merely heaved a heavy sigh at the heartbreaking sight, slowly reaching out and brushing the tips of his fingers against the demon's arms in an attempt to urge the other to rise to his feet, making sure that the former overlord could see his every movement. "Please, come, Aku, we have to move before more drones can be sent after us."

The former ruler reluctantly allowed himself to be pulled to his feet, standing on shaking legs and his arms crossing tensely over his bandaged midsection.

He studiously avoided the burly newcomer's gaze.

Aku barely stopped himself from flinching away as something soft and warm was draped over his thin, seemingly bony shoulders, his claws instinctively digging into the by now familiar folds of the winter cape, relishing in the comforting heat the tattered article of clothing brought him. Some small part of him still loathed Jack's gentle treatment, still felt uncomfortable and disdainful of the obvious sentimentality. But those feelings were almost instantly squashed beneath the sudden, desperate need of knowing that _someone_ was there, that _someone_ cared.

Even if he knew that it was all a lie. He _was_ a monster, and would always be treated as one. Would always _deserve_ to be treated as one. No one would ever truly be able to feel anything but disgust and hatred towards him, Aku had realized that a long while ago. But for now, for just a little while, he could pretend, could enjoy the gentle treatment.

"Yer lucky that me house is only a few hours avey," the Scotsman spoke up from beside the two of them as they walked, beady black eyes still watching the demon with undisguised wariness and the faint beginnings of worry.

It would appear that the demon's terror filled reaction had been enough to disturb even a battle-crazed and brutish man like him.

"Ay say we continue this conversation there, where we won't be ambushed by those golden tin cans."

"That would be most preferable. Thank you," Jack stated with a grateful smile, sheathing his sword and silently adjusting his already torn gi. He didn't have time to properly lament about its damaged state, however. All the samurai could really do was hope that he would be able to find some needle and thread at his friend's house to patch it up. Again. But right now he had other, more important things to worry about.

His onyx eyes watched the injured demon carefully from beneath his thick, silky strands of black hair, brows furrowing imperceptibly in concern and even fear.

Aku hadn't even tried to fight back. Hadn't even struggled all that much in order to save his own life. He had simply shut down almost as soon as the magic infused blade had been pressed against his neck, his dull claws unclenching from where they had been curled around the robot's arm. But that wasn't what disturbed the human warrior the most. No. It was something else.

Aku... Aku hadn't been all that defiant or even scared. Instead, he'd... he'd been _relieved_. Jack had no doubts in his mind that in that moment the demon had truly _wanted_ for the robot to end his life more than anything else in the world. Had wished for his pain and suffering to finally come to an end, to be completely erased from the cruel world that he himself had created. A stark contrast to the strong creature who had once so fervently clung to life and power despite the samurai's best efforts to destroy him.

Unable to stop the bile from swiftly rising in his throat, Jack turned away from the distressing scene, pale fingers clenching into fists in the safety of the folds of his gi.

Those people back in the pub had been right after all, no matter how much the human warrior wished to deny it, a steady ache building up in his temples and swiftly radiating through his entire skull.

Aku wanted to die.

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

The samurai had won against the bounty hunters yet again. Aku would be lying if he said he wasn't irritated. Not that it would stop him from doing so if anyone asked, naturally.

Slamming his fist against his throne's armrest in a frustrated manner, he rose to his feet and began to pace around the vast room, his narrowed gaze never leaving the giant mirror and his rival displayed upon its smooth surface, eyebrows blazing brighter. A snake-like, displeased hiss left his lips, sharp fangs flashing in the soft gloom of the central chamber of his citadel.

Satina merely glanced at him from the corner of her eyes, an unamused look flashing briefly in her poisonous green eyes, but he waved her off, quite uninterested in dealing with whatever matters she'd brought to his attention now. Some problems could wait in favor of much more pressing ones. Those that couldn't would have to be attended to by the reptilian alien herself, unless she wanted to lose her job that is.

The fan like crest adorning the servant's head twitched, the soft plum color of her scales taking on a slight magenta hue in what he assumed to be faint irritation, before she dipped her triangular muzzle in a submissive gesture, body quickly folding in half in a respectful bow, and left, her long and spiked tail soon vanishing around a distant corner.

She was a smart woman. He'd give her that much at least. Or had a strong enough sense of self-preservation to leave before he had the chance of taking his anger out on her instead.

Heaving a tired, frustrated sigh, Aku sank back into his comfortable throne, sharp claws tapping restlessly against the cold stone of the armrests and the flame-shaped decorations carved into them. "Oh, samurai, samurai," he growled, voice dripping with menace and face contorting in a peculiar mixture of a snarl and a grimace, "What will make you die?"

There was no answer, but he had not expected to receive one anyway, leaning back fully in his seat, sudden exhaustion seeping deep into his joints. He had barely slept the night before. Aku was certain that no one would mind too much if he caught some shut eye now. Even if they did, well, they wouldn't have the courage to voice it, common sense successfully keeping them from doing so.

After all, he was the master here.

The sudden feeling of a blade pressing against his equivalent of skin beneath his chin made him go deathly still, eyes blowing wide and body tensing in his throne, claws imperceptibly clenching tighter around the orange armrests.

Aku barely managed to stop himself from cringing away as a soft, warm breath travelled up the side of his neck, lips just barely brushing against his lower horn... that was suddenly no longer there.

"I believe the question here is," Jack's voice whispered, the sharp edge of the magic infused dagger just barely digging into the demon's pitch black essence, "What will make _you_ die, Aku?"

And suddenly everything around him fell away, the orange and red walls collapsing into nothingness, darkness swirling around him and enveloping his suddenly shaking form in its icy embrace.

He was cold, so utterly cold.

Faint shudders travelled the length of his form, but despite them he could still discern the distant, faint crackling of torches just barely reaching him through the thick stone walls of his cell. Even so, he should be able to hear them clearly. Such measly obstructions had never kept him from catching even the smallest sounds like a mouse's heartbeat before. So why.. why was it suddenly so difficult for him to focus?

Oh... that's right. His horns were gone now. _They _had cut them off.

Soft fingers brushed against his shoulders, trailing up and caressing the golden band strapped tightly around his neck, even as he lurched away in revulsion, a strangled sob leaving his green lips, eyes clenched tightly shut. The stranger, whoever he was, did not seem to like that.

Aku couldn't stop himself from shrieking in pain as one of the hands suddenly curled around an injured horn, twisting and pulling on it with vicious ferocity, the sounds of cracking and splintering wood echoing in the small confines of the cell like cracks of thunder.

"Look at me, Aku."

The demon shook his head almost feverishly, greedily gulping in the cold air, arms shaking in their restraints from the overwhelming pain. No, he wouldn't.. He wouldn't!

"I said _look at me_!"

Crystalline tears starting to spill down his cheeks in faint, barely noticeable rivulets, Aku forced himself to open his eyes, looking up at the human now towering over his collapsed form, battered chest heaving with desperate breaths beneath the soiled bandages wrapped around his midsection.

Jack smiled down at him, those familiar onyx eyes no longer gentle and instead filled with cruelty and savage delight. "That's better," he practically purred, and the demon shivered from the poison all but dripping off those familiar vocals. Something glinted in the samurai's arms, something golden and terrifyingly familiar. The dagger! But... No.. the human couldn't possibly have it. It belonged to...

"Ah, so you do recognize this little thing?" The man asked, a nasty smile spreading across his usually handsome features, tainting and distorting them into something ugly, almost monstrous. The blade's razor sharp edge brushed against the demon's green cheek, leaving a shallow scratch in its wake right beneath Aku's right eye, the demon's black equivalent of blood instantly welling up in the small wound and starting to drip sluggishly down his face to the stone floor below. "Khürel was very generous indeed to lend it to me for a little while. After all, hurting you is much more.. enjoyable with an imperfect blade, do you not think so? If I used my sword, I would be liable to kill you, but you would like that, would you not? Aku?"

The demon shuddered, pressing even more against the stone wall beneath him, claws curling into weak fists.

To his great horror, he realized that he would... he really would.. Please.. Please let this be over, let it end-

The dagger vanished from view and he let out a desperate keen as the human leant closer yet again, bracing himself with a single hand against the wall next to the demon's head, onyx eyes watching the other closely, void of any hints of the gentleness or compassion that Aku had gotten used to seeing within them.

"Did you really think that I would ever help you, Aku?" Jack spat, revulsion and hatred all but rolling off his ghostly form in waves. The demon could've sworn he'd seen those dark eyes flash blue, those human teeth sharpen and elongate, mimicking his own curved fangs. "Did you really think that _I_ would ever care about _you_? After what you've _done_ to me?!"

Aku shuddered, his horns lowering until they were all but pressing flat against his gray essence, but he did not close his eyes. He would only be hurt more if he disobeyed, the demon knew that. But the words being whispered into his ear were far worse than any physical pain could ever be. "My father was right to have tried to destroy you as soon as you clawed your way out of those pools. He knew just by looking at you what you really were. A villain. A monster. A _tyrant_."

Each hissed out word made Aku flinch, every whispered insult made him shudder, his body curling in on itself and his arms wrapping around his chest, the meager protection doing nothing whatsoever to soothe his overwhelming distress.

"But... You can atone for the atrocities you have committed, can you not, Aku?" The human whispered, leaning over his collapsed form once more. The demon no longer had enough presence of mind to stifle the distressed whimper that instantly wrung itself past his lips at the other's unwanted proximity. The fact that those onyx eyes were no longer black, but a startling blue completely missed his notice. "After all, you do still have the shard from the drone's blade with you, do you not?" A shard? What was he talking-?

Something glinted in his claws, the golden glow permeating throughout the small room, illuminating the darkness that had surrounded him mere seconds ago. His light in the darkness... His only hope.

Even with his own powers securely locked away within him, Aku could feel the powerful magic within the sharp fragment he now held in his fingertips, dull claws brushing against the edges and his obsidian blood dripping sluggishly to the stained floor as the blade easily cut into his essence. The demon watched the dark liquid build up as his fingers clenched even tighter around it, the sharp pain wringing a pained hiss from his throat, curved fangs clenched. Relief and something awfully similar to joy welled up within his battered chest.

Yes, it was most definitely sharp enough. Most definitely _powerful_ enough...

"That's right," Jack's voice, distorted and muddled, whispered into his ears, pale hands wrapping around his wrist and guiding it to his chest, carefully positioning the sharp edge right over his center, his core. "You can finally put an end to this. You can finally end your pain. You can finally pay for the suffering you have caused."

With a sharp intake of breath, Aku pushed the blade in.

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

A scream shattered the previously easy silence of the night, the Scotsman instantly sitting up in bed and smashing his forehead against the headboard with enough force to make the wood crack, beady black eyes clenched shut as pain radiated through his entire skull.

"What the 'ell?"

His wife was no longer sleeping beside him.

"Ay knew ay shouldn't've trusted 'im!" Hastily attaching his peg leg and grasping his sword, the burly man raced down the hallway and into one of the guest rooms, about ready to sink his blade into a certain demon's neck- Only to skid to a sudden halt, eyes blown wide in horror at the scene before him.

Pale hands pressed desperately against a gray chest, obsidian blood pooling between frantic fingers, something golden glinting in the darkness halfway across the small bedroom. His wife stood by the doorway, a hand pressed against her mouth in shock, leaning heavily against the smooth wood, unable to tear her attention away from the sight of the samurai futilely trying to stop the heavy bleeding.

Jack looked up, onyx eyes wide in terror and desperation, his lean body shaking from head to toe.

"Please," he whispered to him, voice hoarse.

_"Please, help..."_


	8. Chapter 8

It is always a lengthy process for something - anything - to improve. Whether it's your life, your country, your planet - it doesn't matter. Things always get better painstakingly slowly. The changes can take days, months, even years to develop, to bring with them even the faintest sense of hope. More often than not, you soon enough stop believing that anything remotely positive can actually happen to you, so much so that when they finally do you are always caught off-guard. However, when things are going in the opposite direction, everything goes to shit very quickly.

Satina had learned that annoying little fact about life a long time ago, even before she left her mother's nest. One moment her father was right there with them, smiling, laughing, joking, and the next - his spot in the den was cold, completely void of the warm and comforting body that used to always be curled up there, a silent assurance of protection and sustenance to his young hatchlings. However, she couldn't exactly say she blamed him or cared all that much about his departure. The seasons had changed, and thus he'd returned to his neglected territory, eager to reclaim it before some other reptile could soil the place with their scent. Had she been an adult and a male at the time, she would've done the exact same thing in his place. It was simply how their species worked. Her father's only fault perhaps, was that he had left a few days early.

Which was exactly what she was doing now. Leaving. Before things could become even worse than they already were.

Someone bumped against her shoulder and Satina spun around, her emerald eyes flashing in barely suppressed fury and fangs baring in a threatening snarl. The alien behind her hastily backed down from her fiery gaze, having obviously not expected such a hostile response from someone less than half his size, and she glared at him until he quickly left the line, the crest adorning her head twitching in a tense manner before folding back into its neutral position. Only one being was allowed to push her around, and he was currently out there somewhere in this god-forsaken world, searching for a way to reclaim what was rightfully his.

Even so, Satina knew that she couldn't stick around. Leaving was currently her smartest option. She had worked under Aku for many years, knew many secrets not only about the demon himself, but also his operations that could be used against him, against _her_. Satina had a pretty good idea what would happen to both of them if she gave that kind of information up. She had to leave. Her Master would understand, the reptile was sure of it. He would accept her back into his service when the humans were dealt with, as usual. After all, Aku had never truly lost to anyone before, even to the samurai, despite what others said. He would pull through this. Satina was sure of it.

Sighing heavily, the reptile looked down at the shiny, black ticket now clasped tightly in her clawed hands, along with the documents necessary for her to be allowed off-planet. For some reason, Satina couldn't shake the feeling that what she was doing here was _wrong_, and felt confusion swell in her chest because of it. What she was attempting to do was perfectly logical for someone in her situation. Lurna-2 was one of Aku's farthest and at the same time most developed colonies, she would be of use there to her Master until he came back while simultaneously being as far away from the three humans as physically possible, far beyond their reach. She would be useful to Aku and, more importantly, she would be _alive_. So why, why did it all feel so _wrong_?!

Sunlight poured through the giant glass walls of Earth's Central Spaceport, the reptile's plum colored scales glinting dully with all the colors of the rainbow in the blinding rays and her crest taking on a soft magenta hue. A strange sensation of deja vu washed over her and she looked up, her poisonous green gaze roaming thoughtfully over the elegant and yet sharp-edged walls and transparent panels of the overhead dome. It felt so oddly familiar, Satina had seen them like this before, yet she couldn't quite recall when.. Oh, that's right... She'd already stood here once, in this very same spot, so many years ago now...

_He'd appeared before them suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere. Satina couldn't tell much about the day before his arrival, but she knew with utmost certainty that it had been tranquil, beautiful and as ultimately boring as always. _

_She had been making her way back to her nest after a successful hunt, a ju-hare clenched tightly in her jaws when suddenly her sharpened hearing picked up an odd sound, a steadily growing roar that became more and more deafening with each passing second. And then... _something_ fell from the usually lilac sky, something black, something monstrous. The ground had rent apart beneath her feet and she leapt back in reaction, slitted green eyes widening in alarm and panic and her long, spiked tail lashing sharply behind her. An ear-shattering explosion echoed throughout the vast lavender fields and purple forests, startling and alerting all of the planet's creatures that something was terribly wrong. That something, for the first time in many, many eons, had changed. Then, _he_ was standing there before them, a stark contrast against the pale heavens above, darker than any night she had ever witnessed and his alien, green face contorted in a derisive snarl._

_Satina remembered that she had crouched back then, hiding amongst the tall blades of plum colored grass and instinctively blending in with her surroundings, eyes going almost painfully wide in her barely contained panic. Despite her natural camouflage, the creature seemed to have sensed her presence. _

_It's body folded in half suddenly, seemingly effortlessly, the movement filled with unnatural, alien fluidity and grace. It was unlike anything she had ever seen. It was as if the being didn't even have a spine, or a single bone in its body for that matter. Giant, black eyes studied her comparatively tiny form, the white nose twitching almost imperceptibly and long fangs peaking out from beneath the intruder's top lip. It was almost as if it were... studying her, examining her like some fascinating specimen. Like she was prey. _

_Satina did not like being prey._

_The creature murmured something and the reptile winced, the crest adorning her head pressing flat against her head as the giant's voice echoed throughout the vast plains, startling every living thing hiding out there once more and prompting them to scatter, claws scrabbling against the ground and the hard bark of the forest trees, the leaves rustling and falling to the ground from the hurried, frantic movements. Pitch black fingers reached out toward her and she leapt away just in time, jaws instinctively unclenching from around her catch and allowing the small, bloodied body to fall to the muddy ground, though, in that moment, she found that she couldn't care less about her lost dinner. Her instincts screaming for her to get as far away as possible, Satina had simply bolted, leaving the towering _monster_ behind in a cloud of dust._

_If she'd ever been taught anything useful during her short stay in her mother's nest, it was that survival was and would always be her highest priority. Staying in that being's presence would be signing her own death warrant._

_The next few months only proved that she had been right about that._

_In just a few hours their planet was flooded with invaders from a world that they did not know, dream of, or even comprehend, and practically overnight their little world was forever lost to them. The creature had brought allies with it, ones armed with razor sharp blades and protected by a shiny, hard skin that their teeth never seemed to be able to penetrate, their claws scrabbling uselessly against polished armor without the ability of ever finding purchase, successfully throwing them off-balance. They never truly stood a single chance of defending themselves. Even _if_ they had been a united species in the first place. _

_Satina and the rest of the younger generations were almost instantly put to work, forced to dig into their own fields and dry their rivers, a dark, looming city of sharp-edged spires and black towers soon rising to tower above the beautiful, soft-looking nature, an ugly blemish upon the previously untouched lands. It was only the first of many to be built upon their small world. And yet, it already served as a symbol of the invader's rule. _

_In fact, the only things to remain relatively untouched were the trees. As bizarre as it sounded, the creature seemed reluctant to touch them, seemed angered by the very notion of harming them. There were rumors that he'd been seen actually _talking_ to them, but it wasn't until many, many years later that Satina discovered them to be true. However, at that point in her life she had already had the pleasure of witnessing much stranger things to be truly disturbed by her Lord's odd habits._

_The first few years after the invasion were far from easy, many members of the older generations did not survive the harsh effects of the hard labor that had been forced upon their shoulders. The youngster didn't really grieve for them. They were strangers, they were old. They were too set in their outdated ways, in their stupid traditions that had held their civilization from developing for so many centuries. If anything, Satina and the others her age welcomed their departure, were happy to see them go, along with the stifling old customs that had been keeping them back for so long. It was simply natural selection in their minds, nothing more. They were too weak for this new world, and so they perished. Idly, the reptile sometimes had to wonder if her mother had been one of them. After all, Satina and her brothers and sisters had not been the female's first clutch. But, then again, what was the point of concerning herself with the fate of a person she barely knew? It would simply be a waste of her valuable time._

_Survival was the highest priority. The ones to earn their right to live were usually the ones with the most strength. If her mother could not see that her best interests lay in submitting to the alien creature, in adapting to the world the demon was attempting to mould, or she could not stand the hard work, well, then she was weak in their eyes. There was simply nothing more to it. Satina never once regretted her decision of pledging her loyalty to the monster who had invaded her home, and had been generously awarded for that decision in the following years too._

_Ever since she was young, Satina knew that she had always been different, the odd one out. While her siblings had tussled gleefully in the dirt and in the dust, she'd always chosen to look to the stars, dreamed about what could possibly be hiding out there, far beyond her reach. It was partly the reason why she had been forced out of the nest earlier than usual, her mother quite alarmed by her bizarre views. It wasn't until much later that Satina had learned that she was not alone in her desperate quest for knowledge. There were others out there beside her, tired of being stuck hiding in the mud of their planet, anxious at the prospect of exploring all the secrets their tiny, yet mysterious world had to offer. But they were all pushed aside, insulted, stigmatized, even killed in some extreme cases. Simply because they dared to be freethinkers._

_Thus, the old ways had reigned supreme for many long years, right up until the creature's arrival. And then, the youngsters, the revolutionaries were finally able to take a stand against the outdated ways, to seize control of their future._

_All of a sudden, they had access to education, to knowledge beyond their wildest dreams. All of a sudden, they could travel beyond the realms of their purple planet, venture far past the soft lilac light of their warm sun, to worlds that they would've usually never been able to see, even with their long lifespans. The great unknown was suddenly right there, at her very fingertips, and all she had to do was reach out and grasp for it._

"Miss?"

The sound of the woman's persistent voice in her ears dragged her attention away from her recollections and she looked up, poisonous green eyes fixing themselves on the alien sitting behind the smooth black desk, looking down at her with the faintest beginnings of worry.

"Is everything alright?"

"Hm? Oh, yes, yes everything's fine," Satina murmured quickly, her clawed fingers fumbling for a few seconds with the documents she still held tightly in her grasp, her spiked tail curling just a fraction tighter around the dark bag she had packed to take with her. It wasn't very large, filled with only the barest of essentials. Even after three hundred years spent on Earth Satina had not been able to change her habits of traveling light.

The woman in charge of checking the passengers in sent her an odd look, silvery brows raised in an unspoken question, but thankfully chose not to comment on her odd behavior, simply extending a clawed hand in order to take the small slips of paper the reptile held securely in her grasp. Satina took a deep, calming breath, her arm reaching upwards to hand over her documents so she could finally leave this accursed place- only to suddenly go still, the papers just barely brushing the handling agent's fingertips. The alien opposite her frowned once more.

"Miss?"

"I-I can't," Satina mumbled, stumbling back, her poisonous green eyes wide. The woman sitting behind the desk frowned in confusion, but the reptile had already turned away from her, quickly leaving the line, the documents suddenly pressed tightly against her chest. "I can't..."

The Earthen sunlight enveloped her small form the moment she stepped outside the glass doors of the Central Spaceport, warm and pleasant and comforting against her scales despite the inner war currently going on within her. Memories of working as the head of communications, of being promoted to the post of Aku's personal assistant, of meeting Akua and the other demons rose up before her eyes with unexpected, startling clarity, the sounds and colors of her recollections suddenly so vivid, so _real_. .. How could she have possibly forgotten them?

Distant, long suppressed images clouding her vision, she collapsed against a nearby stone column, breathing heavily. All of a sudden, Satina simply couldn't stop herself from thinking back, from recalling the day Aku had first accepted her into his service, his black eyes filled with boredom as he quickly looked through her resume, acting like he would rather be anywhere else rather than at her job interview. Couldn't stop herself from remembering the hostility the demon's employees had exhibited towards her at first as she forced them to do their jobs for once. But, naturally, those were not the only memories her mind suddenly decided to dredge up.

Satina recalled being promoted to the post of the overlord's personal assistant after years of hard work. Remembered meeting the other demons and growing accustomed to Akua gently forcing her to retire early for the night, despite her plans of doing the opposite. Recollected all the times Akou had blown up his laboratory and the peaceful evenings spent in Akita's company, where he would offer her his quiet support. Looked back on all the different delegations from other planets that she had ever greeted with her Master... And these were but a few of the many things she had almost forgotten, almost dismissed in her selfish desire to save her own skin-

The small bag she'd been holding slipped softly from her tight grasp, her tail slowly unwinding from where it had been curled around the skin handle, but she failed to notice, instinctively lowering herself to stand on all fours like she had so many centuries ago and racing down the dirty brown streets, flooded with garbage and suffocating fumes and having long since been abandoned by their citizens. She didn't know where she was going, her mind strangely blank. She had no plan of action, but her paws simply seemed to suddenly have a consciousness of their own, carrying her of their own accord through the noisy, depressing city, back to the portal, back to the citadel, back to the place that had become the closest thing she ever had to a real home.

She could only hope that the hidden portals Aku had placed for his employees around the major cities still worked.

Satina studiously ignored the odd looks thrown her way as she dashed inside one of the towering buildings, completely disregarded the startled and angry exclamations as she rudely forced herself past gawking civilians, her clawed palm practically slamming upon the button in order to call for the elevator that would take her to the very top of the building. "Come on..." she whispered, green eyes wide and desperate. "Come on..."

The moment the doors opened, she slipped inside, instantly selecting the top floor and watching as the transparent panels slid back into place behind her, her small body shaking from head to toe. This.. this was madness, she realized that with frightening clarity now and yet... she didn't care. Satina should've made her way onto the space craft that would take her away from here by now, she should've left for the place where she knew she would be alive, where she would be _safe_, but she didn't _care_. Because the reptile knew that she wouldn't be able to live with herself if she left. Not after.. after everything Aku had done for her, even if most of it was unintentional.

If the demon had never shown up upon her planet, if he'd never chosen to colonize it, to provide its inhabitants with an education and new opportunities... Satina would still be living in the dirt, in the dust, forever held back by ancient traditions and her own lack of knowledge.

She couldn't just leave him to his fate like this..

The reptile barely flinched at the prickling, unpleasant sensation against her scales as she made her way out of the elevator and finally walked through the small, expertly hidden portal, her eyes quickly sliding shut and opening once again as she stepped out on the other side, her green eyes instinctively adjusting to the citadel's usual, familiar soft gloom.

Fortunately for her, Satina had emerged in an area she knew quite well, right onto the outcrop Aku had once used to address his many visitors, the small area now seeming oddly eerie and disturbing in its newfound deserted state. There were no longer any demonic minions stationed around. There were no longer any sounds of prisoners or arguing voices. There was only a deathly silence where there once used to be life.

Her heart beating wildly in her chest, Satina unsheathed her long claws, so perfect for climbing, hoisting herself up onto the wall with frightening ease and cautiously making her way downwards, effortlessly blending in with the dark red stone. Some part of her supposed that she should be grateful for the overlord's fondness for flame-shaped decorations as they provided her with many stable footholds, allowing her to descend to the very bottom soundlessly and in record time despite the tremendous height.

Her claws instinctively retracting, she landed silently upon the polished stone floor, her long tail flicking restlessly in the stale, yet chilly air of the dark citadel, the crest upon her head steadily unfolding as she slowly gathered her bearings, her poisonous green eyes glowing softly in the semi-darkness of Aku's fortress. The throne room had to be close by, that she remembered clearly, and her goal right now was to avoid it at all costs.

The last thing she wanted was to be caught by the loathed humans.

Her fin unfolding completely, Satina dove into the dark bowels of the demon's castle, her instincts and memories of traversing the entire building more than enough to successfully guide her through the winding tunnels. She didn't know where she was going, not at first, but when the strong scent of fire and fresh wood hit her nostrils, she instantly knew that she had emerged into the room that had once been the minions' gathering place, long before the human trio's arrival.

A single chandelier hung from the dark, ornamented ceiling of the large room, the light of the flickering candles dancing merrily on the red, stone walls despite the bleakness and hopelessness of the world they now found themselves in... just like it had during the burial ceremony, such a long time ago now. Even so, the memory of it all still stood with crystal clarity before her slitted green eyes.

That day had started like any other. Satina had been busy relaying the recent reports from their mine operations to the demon overlord when the shrill sound of a gong echoed throughout the vast citadel, informing them that the chamberlain had brought new visitors to stand before their Master. Heaving a heavy sigh, Aku had reluctantly risen from his seat with a series of unpleasant wooden creaks and groans, his form expanding into its usual towering self in order to better address the newcomers. The reptile didn't know or care much about the conversation that had ensued after that. She'd instead taken the opportunity to attend to other matters while her Lord was otherwise engaged, striding down the long hallways, her claws dancing fluidly upon the smooth display of her datapad. However, Satina would later learn to regret ever making that choice.

If she had just stayed there, if she had listened closely like she usually did, if she had only done so much as scent the air, then maybe she would've known about _his_ presence.. If she had just been a fraction more observant, then perhaps things would've gone very differently...

Only much later did they learn that the samurai had somehow hitched a ride to the citadel during the detainment of the two Lebidopterins, and killed several of the demon minions both during his desperate bid to get inside the fortress and out of it. Akira, Akula, Akra, Aktura - all dead, all of them forever gone, wiped clean from this world, their lives suddenly cut short by the human's accursed, unforgiving blade. To say she was shocked to learn of their deaths would be an understatement. Satina had known them, had run into them once or twice in the dark hallways of Aku's fortress, though they had never exchanged more than a few words. For the longest time the reptile had tried to convince herself that she wasn't all that upset about the news. After all, what did she care about a few insignificant demons? What did she care if a few of them died? Even if she _had_ worked with them in one building for over a hundred years? She didn't know them, didn't care for them, just like she had never truly cared for her mother and fellow shikichis. Her detachment from her coworkers and boss was simply how her species worked.

But she had been wrong, oh so, so wrong.

As she quietly watched the pyre burn, Satina realized with sudden, world-shattering clarity that she _did_ care. She truly did. Her heart prickled, her chest felt oddly hollow, the alien feeling of grief washing over her suddenly and completely for the very first time in perhaps her entire existence. Somewhere down the line these demons, along with Aku had become very dear to her, and the reptile did not even notice that up until now, or perhaps even willingly allowed the realization to slip her notice. Her species weren't known for being familiar with such trivial things as emotions and yet... Satina found herself grieving, expressing sorrow for those she had worked with for so long, despite not being on so much as friendly terms with them. She had never once shed a tear for her family, for those who had come before her, for her planet. Had never been truly able to. But she found herself able to shed one for the demons she now lived alongside.

Aku had stood in the dark shadows of the room back then as well, silently watching as the minions said their goodbyes to their fallen comrades, the uniforms, by far the only things they had left of the fallen, swiftly catching fire and vanishing within the crimson flames. His green face strangely blank, almost bored, almost derisive, the overlord said nothing, his black eyes fixed on the large pyre even as his demons began to chant in a language Satina did not understand, but recognized as one of the more common demonic dialects. If anyone else had taken a look at the demon then, they would've probably said that he hadn't cared all that much and was merely attending out of a lack of better things to do.

The reptile, however, knew that that wasn't true. If Aku indeed hadn't cared, somewhere deep, deep down, he never would've shown up for the ceremony in the first place.

The image faded and she found herself back in the now darkened room, her claws flexing restlessly, scraping against the polished stone floor. Shaking her head, Satina sprinted soundlessly down an adjacent hallway, her long tail instinctively rising so as not to hinder her quick movements. She had to find the demons, she had to find Akua- But the memories the sight of the familiar walls of the overlord's fortress brought were still too powerful for her.

_"- Then what are you still doing here?!" Akou's voice, low and angry, rang clear in her panicked mind and the reptile's breath hitched, her fin pressing flat in a distressed manner against her skull. Even so, she could not entirely block out the deafening sounds of Aku's agonized screams. "You never truly concerned yourself with our wellbeing before, why do you care now about what they're doing to us, to Aku?!"_

_"Because he's my boss and you're my colleagues you fucking dumbass!" Satina snapped in reply, swiftly reaching the end of her wits and her tiny clawed hands pressing at Akou's midsection in an effort to push him away from the door, away from the humans and their tormented master. "Of course I fucking care for you! Now sit your ass down and think rationally for one second!"_

_"Sit down? You seriously expect me to stay put and wait while they are hurting our Master?!" Akou snarled in all-consuming fury, yellow, snake like eyes flashing in the dark gloom of the citadel's chamber and long fangs baring in the reptile's direction, his long, canine-like ears held low and tense._

_"Yes! Exactly! Unless of course, you feel like joining him," Satina hissed, her green eyes glowing in the semi-darkness of the overlord's former fortress. The other demons gathered around them began to murmur amongst themselves, their palpable distress, worry and anger more than enough to make even the shikichi's stone heart clench in her chest, her long fingers flexing at her sides as Akou finally took a step back, away from her and the hallways that would take him to his tortured master, his muzzle contorting in hatred and derision. "Don't you realize, you intolerable idiot, that it's pointless to just storm in and you'll only get yourself and the others hurt in the process?! They'll just fucking electrocute you and chain you down as well! If we're going to get rid of these humans, we have to plan our actions carefully! It's far too risky to act otherwise!"_

_"If it's so dangerous, then why are you still here?" Akou growled, his voice no more than a low snarl as he leaned down, towering over the much smaller, much weaker form, fangs bared. "You know as well as I do that if you're ever caught you won't end up just getting killed. They'll take their time with you and you will willingly tell them everything you know and even things that you thought you didn't know like an obedient. Little. Pet. So... why don't you run away while you still can?"_

And that was the exact moment when it had finally clicked for her. The demon was absolutely right. She had to get away. Satina had enough money saved up, she could easily buy a ticket to another planet if she wanted to. She could get away from here, she could find a safe place to wait out the storm... but, as it turned out, her conscience had other plans. Satina was no longer the same lonely, withdrawn reptile she had once been, all those years ago. Somehow, during her long years of service, the demons had accepted her into their society, and she, in turn, had accepted them into her own heart. They were no longer strangers. They were now her own people. And Satina would be damned before she allowed anyone to enslave and hurt them this way, before she permitted anyone to lay a single finger on them or Aku.

Mere survival was no longer her highest priority. Not if it meant allowing those who had done so much for her to perish.

Akita looked up from where he was tending to Akou's concussion as the doors to their barracks were suddenly pushed open, his yellow gaze fixing itself on the tiny form now standing in the illuminated doorway, his jaw slackening at the sight of the panting reptile. "Satina?" A shocked murmur travelled through the thick throng of gathered demons, all of them looking up from where they had been struggling to calm each other down, their dull, seemingly lifeless eyes fixing on the tiny form of Aku's personal assistant, none of them bothering to conceal their surprise.

Taking a deep, shaky breath, Satina stepped into the darkened room, her eyes roaming over the gathered minions, her heart clenching in her chest at the pathetic sight. Never before had she seen them like this, the heavy scent of sorrow, of hurt and death hanging over them like a dark, monstrous cloud. Satina practically felt her fin press flat against her skull.

Akita didn't move away as she approached, but even so the sudden tension bleeding into his stance did not escape her notice, the brief twitch of the spines running along his arms as they attempted to ruffle in a threatening gesture only to be forced to lay flat against the dark scale-like skin once again. Akou, on the other hand, didn't even seem to notice her, or perhaps chose not to acknowledge her presence, his face hidden in his clawed hands and faint shudders traveling the length of his spine. Satina couldn't stop her brows from furrowing at the heartbreaking sight. She suddenly longed to reach out, to place her small hand on the demon's shoulder, to offer just a little bit of comfort, no matter how clumsy she was in such matters, but didn't, carefully keeping her distance. They would not welcome her compassion. Not after she had almost abandoned them to their fate.

"What happened?" She asked, looking up anxiously at Akita's towering form, the spines encapsulating the demon's neck, not unlike a cage, glinting in the dim, golden glow of his conjured bonds. The mere sight of them was enough to make her fingers clenching tightly into fists. When the demon failed to answer her, she turned her attention to his face once more, her green eyes frantically searching the familiar black features, something cold sinking deep into her stomach. "Akita?"

The feeling of something terrible having happened in her absence consuming her, Satina looked around, her gaze roaming over the exhausted, distraught muzzles of the gathered creatures, her breath stalling in her chest. "Where's Akua?" She breathed out, slitted green eyes almost frantically traveling around the darkened room, her arms starting to shake uncontrollably at her sides. "Akita, where is she?!"

"Erden took her away." Akou's voice, barely more than a whisper practically echoed in the sudden silence of the room. The canine-like demon looked up, his yellow eyes dull and filled with despair, the black fur of his long muzzle wet and messy. "The humans have her, and it's all my fault."

"It isn't," Akita suddenly spoke up, the deep baritone of his voice low and firm and at the same time calming, his clawed hands brushing gently against his comrade's upper arms in a soothing gesture, his long tail trailing up and down the other's back in calming caresses. "They would have simply found another excuse to do this, Akou. It is not your fault." Satina could only watch as the usually silent minion suddenly lowered himself to his knees beside his friend, a soft rumble escaping his broad chest, the tension slowly, instinctively leaving the distressed demon's form at the familiar sound.

Horror rooting her to the spot, the reptile didn't immediately hear the sound of approaching footsteps, the demons around her instantly tensing at the echoing sound, their ears twitching and their yellow eyes going wide as they tried to identify the source of the noise. All she could focus on was that Akua, gentle, kind and loving Akua, was now in the hands of those vile humans, no doubt being hurt and tormented just like Aku himself had once been. People like her didn't deserve that. As the head of their medical department, the woman had always made sure to look out for every inhabitant of Aku's citadel, be it demon or otherwise. She didn't deserve to be treated like that!

Satina was so lost in her jumbled, panicked thoughts that she didn't notice Akita desperately trying to get her attention until large, clawed hands wrapped around her small shoulders, quickly dragging her away from the opened doorway and roughly shoving her into the darkest corner of the room, the demon's yellow eyes flashing urgently in her direction. "Wha-?"

"Stay quiet," Akou hissed from beside his companion, his posture tensing once more and his gaze never leaving the dimly lit hallway. "Someone's coming. For your own sake, keep your mouth shut." Satina was tempted to argue, she really was, but thankfully her common sense won over in the end, her jaw obediently snapping shut even as her poisonous green eyes narrowed in controlled anger.

The demons gathered around her didn't get to say more after that.

Two figures stepped into the darkened room, both of them painfully, terrifyingly familiar. Satina barely stopped herself from rushing forth as the tall form of Akua sagged weakly to the polished stone floor, the human responsible for dragging her here carefully lowering her to the ground before taking a quick step back and allowing the demon's comrades to rush forth and gather the shaking body into their arms, cautiously examining her for any injuries despite the female's weak protests.

"I can assure you that that is not necessary," Nergui spoke up quietly from where he still stood by the open doorway, his gunmetal gray eyes watching the minions carefully, his hands hidden in the folds of his clothes. "She is unharmed."

"Yeah, no thanks to you, you-" Akou began, but Akita held him back, his clawed hand wrapping around his friend's shoulder before the demon could say anything he would later regret, shaking his head almost imperceptibly and signaling for his comrade to be silent. The last thing they needed was to provoke the human.

Nergui's eyes narrowed, just a fraction, but when he spoke up once again his voice betrayed no irritation or anger at the blatant display of disrespect and aggression from the bound minion, instead remaining as aloof and bored as ever, despite the severity of the circumstances he himself had helped create. "I know that you are upset, and, frankly, you have every right to be, but, please, try to understand that I am only doing my best to help you out. Especially now that I am the only thing standing between you and Khürel."

Silence fell upon the darkened room, the minions quickly glancing at each other, their yellow eyes questioning and confused.

When Akua's heavily accented voice, broken, exhausted and barely more than a rasp finally spoke up, it instantly dragged the attention of everyone away from their own panic, instead directing their focus to the female's collapsed form. The medic's blue markings flashed. "'The only thing standing between us and Khürel'?... What do you mean by that?"

Nergui's gaze became somber.

"Don't you know? Aku has committed suicide. He's dead."


	9. Chapter 9

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't break the chains strapped around him. His claws scrabbled uselessly against the smooth metal, leaving it completely unmarred and unblemished, polished as ever, the pulsing against his essence only seeming to grow more frequent and powerful the longer his struggles went on. Almost as if his own bonds were laughing at him, mocking his pitiful attempts at freeing himself.

Curved fangs clenching in overwhelming fury and indignation, Aku wrenched violently against the magical chains holding him captive, the stone wall behind him cracking and slowly starting to fracture as he pulled desperately on the silver, metallic rope successfully keeping him helpless, an infuriated, strangled-sounding cry leaving his green lips and his black eyes flashing in overwhelming, blinding rage.

How dare they treat their lord like this?! How dare they _keep_ him like this?! He was _Aku_, who did these pathetic humans think they were?! He was going to _kill_ them! Tear them apart atom by atom until the entire tower was filled with the sounds of their pitiful screams, until the floor was soaked and forever stained red in their blood, the thick liquid all but dripping heavily off his own fangs and claws. But he wouldn't stop there, oh no. After everything they had dared to put him through, how could he really deny himself the pleasure of taking their lives the traditional way, up close and personal and _slow_? It would simply be a disservice to himself to do otherwise.

However, Aku would be lying if he said that his current predicament did not unnerve him on some level, his own powerlessness in the face of this new threat alarming at best and terrifying at worst. This had never happened to him before. Even when he had been sealed away in a tree by that old emperor, imprisoned in a wasteland of his own making for eight long years. No one had ever been able to rob him of his abilities like this, to render him so helpless, to chain him down and torment him. Even the samurai had failed to make him feel this way, as if he'd been completely drained of all strength, of all power - almost of everything that made him the most feared being in the cosmos, that gave him control, provided him with a sense of _safety_. For many centuries Aku had truly believed himself to be untouchable, invincible, the only threat to his existence having been flung into the distant future, where _he_ ruled everything, where _his_ evil was law...

But now... his own arrogance had finally betrayed him, had finally become his undoing, the consequences of his past actions catching up with him at last, despite his best efforts of avoiding them.

This was his punishment and all he could do was take it.

Aku shook those bitter thoughts away with an aggravated growl, pulling with renewed fervor on the accursed silver chains. He refused to accept this! He was still _Aku_! The Master of Masters! The Deliverer of Darkness! The Shogun of Sorrow! He would not submit so easily! Especially not to creatures so much weaker than him! He would free himself from these pathetic bonds and the humans would regret ever daring to lay a single, disgusting finger on him! They would experience his full wrath, and he would use this opportunity to remind all - who was the true Lord and Master of this world.

Hot, burning fury consuming him, he pulled on the magical bonds with new strength, throwing his whole body weight forward and thrashing violently even as the golden cuffs dug painfully into his essence, clamping almost viciously around his wrists, the wet, unfamiliar and unpleasant sensation of his own blood dripping thickly down his side as his wound reopened from the strain barely registering within his clouded mind. It didn't matter to him now. All he cared about was freeing himself from this ridiculous, humiliating predicament.

He could already hear the stone behind him starting to crack, the smallest sounds and vibrations of the splintering rock registering with his remaining horns with startling ease, his curved fangs baring in a feral grin. _Yes.. just a little bit more and he would be -_

He threw himself forward one last time and the metallic hooks attached to the wall finally came loose with a protesting screech, Aku collapsing heavily against the stained floor and wracking coughs assaulting his dark form as stone fragments and dust sprayed everywhere, a deafening, cracking sound of shattering rock and the shrill clang of falling chains echoing down the long, empty halls. There was no way the humans hadn't heard the ruckus, no matter where they were in the castle, but at that moment the demon couldn't bring himself to care, only one thought standing out with startling, crystal clarity in his rage-consumed mind.

He was free.

The door to his cell suddenly swung open, slamming with shocking violence against the dark wall and Aku spun around, crazed, almost feral and utterly infuriated black eyes meeting familiar, dark brown ones. He didn't need to see the other clearly in the semi-darkness of his cell, already recognizing the muscular form now standing in the open doorway, scenting the familiar, bitter stench filling the confines of the small room. It was none other than the human leader...

For a single, terrifying moment Aku was locked in complete motionlessness, staring at the newcomer in undisguised shock, his black gaze instantly falling to the other's waist, frantically searching for the weapon that had been used to hurt him not so long ago, his lost horn and stab wound aching in faint echoes of past pain and suffering. But.. he couldn't find it. The blade was gone. His eyes slowly trailed up. A savage, dangerous grin steadily spread across his face.

The dagger's absence meant one thing and one thing only: the human was now entirely helpless against Aku. And, judging by the mortal's expression, he had come to the same conclusion.

Khürel barely had enough time to roll to the side as Aku lunged, claws outstretched, the deadly tips just barely brushing against his tormentor's coat and tearing right through the thick material as if it were nothing, the demon instantly pivoting to face him once again before his opponent could regain his balance and flinging himself at the taller form once more. Aku didn't stop to think about what he was doing, failed to pay attention to his surroundings, the only things he could focus on becoming the pathetic mortal standing before him and his bloodlust, his desire to tear him limb from limb, to rip out his throat and intestines with his own fangs, to forever stain the stone walls of the tiny cell with the human's blood.

The leader of the little band of fools stepped aside just in time to avoid his strike, successfully throwing him off-balance and slamming him face first into a wall, tanned fingers reaching out to curl around his black wrists-

Aku quickly shoved him away, using his superior, inhuman physical strength to push the other off him before he could be pinned down and immobilized, a loud, enraged and utterly animalistic roar echoing down the stone hallways, his eyebrows flaring in the dark gloom of the citadel's dungeons.

The human instantly fell into a fighting stance, his dark eyes watching the infuriated, savage creature through narrowed slits, slowly raising his hands in front of him in defense and the demon sneered, sinking to stand on all-fours himself, fangs bared and the deadly ends of his claws glinting malevolently in the dim light, anticipating and already savoring the sweet-sweet sensation of sinking themselves into soft flesh. For a split-second, they stared at each other like that, the captor and the captive silently sizing each other up, gauging each other's strength.

And then... the moment was over and Aku threw himself at the person who had nearly stolen his throne.

Khürel failed to dodge him this time and they fell together in a tangled heap with a loud thud, kicking up a cloud of dust, the demon's clawed hands wrapping around the mortal's throat with inhuman speed and strength, the flickering light from the burning torches outside dancing in his pitch black eyes like the fires of hell themselves. Those brown eyes went painfully wide and he couldn't stop himself from grinning if he tried, the warm and familiar sense of triumph swiftly taking hold. He could practically sense the human's fear in the stale air, could almost already feel the bittersweet tang of his blood on his tongue. His jaws parted instinctively of their own accord, baring all of his razor sharp fangs for the other to see, sadistic, feral elation blooming in his chest as the mortal's eyes widened even more, the strong form struggling beneath his lean body with new fervor, tanned fingers wrapping with terror filled desperation around his black wrists, trying to pull them away-

Aku's claws clenched tighter and the human choked, eyes going wide and legs kicking uselessly beneath the demon's weight. The overlord used this opportunity to slowly lean forward, curved fangs glinting in a triumphant snarl. He didn't say anything, simply had no need to, the mortal's terror and realization that there was nothing he could do, that he was about to die, more than enough to please him. Aku only watched as the struggles steadily grew weaker, soon coming to a complete stop, the body beneath him slowly going limp. That was the exact moment when he decided to press closer still, his fangs just barely brushing against the olive-colored skin, all too ready to sink deep into the other's throat and forever color themselves in the other's blood-

There was a golden flash in his periphery and suddenly, white, hot agony consumed his world, something sharp shoving itself viciously into his heaving flank, an agonized shout wringing itself past his green lips as the by now familiar steel blade of the dagger twisted, sinking even deeper into him, his claws instinctively unclenching from where they had been busy crushing the human's neck.

Khürel wasted no time in getting the demon off him, a strong blow to the side of Aku's head sending him crashing into the damaged wall with a sickening crack, another shrill cry escaping his dark throat. The world spinning wildly before his eyes, Aku struggled to drag himself upright, his breathing labored and his dark claws grasping desperately at the deep wound, shuddering all over from the overwhelming pain. Panicked thoughts ran through his mind with lightening speed, fear mixing with anger as he failed to get his body under his control.

He had to get up. Had to teach the humans a lesson! He had to-

Erden let out an impressed whistle, long fingers playing almost idly with the magic infused blade as he knelt down and examined the broken off fragments of stone and the pitiful, dented remains of the hooks in almost _joyous_ fascination, a slow grin spreading across his angular features. "Damn! Would you look at that! He pulled an entire chunk out of the wall, 'Rel, holy shit!" Crazed, dark and at the same time almost giddy and childish laughter left the human's lips as he rose to his feet and strode toward where Aku was still busy trying to regain his senses, grabbing him unceremoniously by his injured horn and pulling him upward, relishing the pain filled cry that action earned him. "Guess there's actually a reason why you were feared once," he whispered into the demon's ear, enjoying the sensation of the ruler thrashing weakly in his grasp. "I'm gonna have fun breaking you, I can tell."

Curved fangs clenching in overwhelming pain, Aku grasped at the fingers holding him so cruelly, eyes narrowing as he prepared himself to fight despite the wracking pain coursing through his system- only to abruptly go still at the distinct, terrifying sensation of something sharp slowly trailing down his side. It didn't feel like the dagger's familiar, magic infused blade. This was something else entirely. This... this felt like...

Something golden glinted in the dim light of the castle's cell as the human's right hand lifted, allowing the demon a full view of his captor's limb. Erden only grinned as Aku's black eyes went almost painfully wide, the green jaw slackening in shock as the former overlord realized what exactly he was staring at.

Claws. Fake, golden and obviously magical claws strapped around the mortal's fingertips.

Aku couldn't stop himself from shivering in revulsion and first stirrings of true fear as those deadly looking tips slowly dragged down his cheek and neck, the touch falsely gentle and dripping with venom and mockery, the demon reluctantly forcing himself to look up and stare straight into the loathed, icy blue eyes of the youngest human, anger and something awfully akin to terror starting to bloom in his pitch black chest.

His captor leaned forward until they were practically face to face, his breath hot and unpleasant against the former ruler's essence, sending shivers running down his spine.

"There is no escape for you, Aku," Erden all but purred, his fingers clenching around the demon's injured horn with almost brutal force, grinning at the strangled hiss and weak struggles that action earned him.

"Not even in death."

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

Blood... there was blood everywhere.

Ice cold and as black as the darkest night, it seeped between his trembling fingers, drenched the folds of his gi, made the white fabric wrapped around him darken and cling tightly to his shivering form as the obsidian liquid slowly, uncontrollably pooled beneath the thin, malnourished-looking body now lying sprawled across the wooden floor.

He... he couldn't stop it. Why wouldn't it _stop_? Why-?!

Aku had long since stopped struggling against him, chest heaving in shallow gasps and claws clenching around thin air where previously they had been curled around a metallic, golden shard. One that they had wrenched out of the now gushing wound before the samurai could stop them from doing so. Jack's breath hitched and he pressed down with renewed fervor, watching helplessly as more and more liquid spewed out of the deep gash, staining the pale flesh of his fingers. Wracking coughs assaulted the demon's frail body, his dark essence splattering to the wooden floor and trickling thickly down his chin, Aku seeming to be unable to stop himself from choking on his own blood.

Jack.. Jack should've know the demon had the shard in his possession. Should've seen him pick it up! He should've suspected Aku would try something like this! Should've anticipated it! He should've-

He didn't hear the woman walk in, failed to notice her prominent form from the corner of his eyes, her hand trembling and clenching tightly around the wooden handle of the bedroom door as she came in to check out the commotion. But he did hear her scream, the shrill sound echoing in his ears as the body beneath him shuddered, the demon's breathing labored and steadily growing more and more faint with each passing second.

He.. He couldn't stop the bleeding.. Why.. Why wouldn't it stop?...

When heavy, hurried footsteps echoed down the long hallway, he forced himself to look up, tearing his gaze away from the other's bloodied form, terrified onyx eyes locking themselves with beady black ones, wide from the horror and panic consuming him. His dry lips moved of their own accord, his voice barely more than a whisper as it formed the desperate words playing on an endless loop within his own mind.

_"Please.. Please, help..."_

He was suddenly, roughly shoved aside, a giant, meaty hand replacing his upon the deep wound, pressing down with more raw physical strength than he ever had and wringing a weak cry from Aku's bruised throat, the former overlord thrashing weakly beneath the powerful, unwanted hold in protest.

"Ah, shut up, ye big buffoon!" The man practically snarled, pressing down almost brutally on the demon's chest in a desperate bid to staunch the heavy bleeding, eyes flashing in the semi-darkness of the tiny bedroom. The samurai could only watch in silent shock as the man quickly sank to his knees beside them, the pressure on the deep stab wound only seeming to grow by increments even as Aku struggled weakly against the brute's grasp, a choked sob wringing itself past those green lips, obsidian blood quickly bubbling up and spilling past them, dripping heavily down the other's chin and neck. The human soon found that he couldn't focus, couldn't think, horror and chest-crushing fear overtaking him, his bloodied hands shaking where they now lay flat against the smooth floorboards, slipping in the already spilt essence. He couldn't move.. He... He should've been there for Aku. He should've _been_ there! Should've kept a closer eye on him! Should've done _something before_... Before the demon could-

"Snap outta it, laddie!" The Scotsman's voice, loud and dripping with urgency, boomed into his ear, successfully dragging him back to reality, Jack blinking several times in momentary confusion before fixing his attention back to the distressing scene before him. Fear-stricken, onyx eyes slowly trailed up, meeting the small, pitch black ones of his closest friend. "Help me 'old 'im down!"

His trembling fingers obediently reached out, curling tightly around dark, bony shoulders and pinning them securely to the soaked floor, the samurai's heart breaking into a million pieces as Aku writhed beneath them with almost feral desperation, tried to throw them off him, tears of frustration, anger and deep anguish swiftly building up in the corners of the demon's eyes and spilling uncontrollably down his face.

"No," Aku rasped, the sound of his voice barely more than a whisper and seeming to grow more and more faint, his eyebrows now barely burning. "No... Let me..." The demon's body shook. More essence spewed past his green lips, joining the ever growing pool beneath the three of them. The two men shared a worried look, the Scotsman's jaw clenching almost imperceptibly and fingers pushing down on the gushing wound despite the strangled hiss that action earned him. Shuttered black eyes desperately searched their faces, void of any will to live and pleading, Aku's breathing steadily becoming more and more shallow as the seconds ticked by, chest heaving with the effort. "Please.. Just let me..." Another vicious bout of coughing assaulted the demon's frail form. Dark eyelids fluttered and for the first time in many, many years Jack felt true terror.

The Scotsman's eyes narrowed, the pressure on Aku's chest becoming nothing short of brutal, wringing a strained growl from the former ruler's throat and effectively forcing his eyes to open once more, looking up dully, lifelessly at the dark, ornamented ceiling above him. Jack couldn't focus, couldn't breathe, his hands shaking where they were curled around those gray shoulders, unable to stop himself from trembling all over, his own body appearing to no longer be under his control. His friend's voice suddenly shouting into his ear, however, turned out to be more than enough to drag him out of his increasingly jumbled and panicked thoughts.

"Hold 'im tighter, laddie," the burly man beside him all but snarled, one hand leaving the deep, gushing stab wound and reaching hastily into the cat-shaped bag strapped to his waist, his fingers, soaked in Aku's blood, quickly wrapping around a small, transparent flask filled with a faintly glowing blue liquid, instinctively tightening as the bottle threatened to slip from his grasp. "This is gunna hurt somethin' bad."

"What are you doing?" Jack asked, watching the other in utter astonishment, face almost deathly pale and onyx eyes wide in barely contained terror, his breath stalling in his heaving chest. His friend did not reply for a long time, too busy uncorking the small container he had retrieved with nothing else but his own teeth as his hands were otherwise occupied, small, dark eyes flashing in fierce determination and at the same time all-consuming worry.

"Savin' 'is goddamn life," the Scotsman grunted at last, the pressure upon the demon's wound growing once more as he leaned forward, now towering over Aku's comparatively tiny, startlingly thin form, the flask held close and at the ready, his black gaze never leaving the other's bloodied face.

Aku flinched and hissed weakly as the cold contents of the small flask suddenly made contact with his essence, obsidian blood slowly trickling down from the corner of his lips and dripping to the wooden floor below, curved fangs flashing in a grimace in the dim light streaming through the open doorway. The Scotsman's hand finally left the deep wound, his thick fingers, stained in Aku's blood, wrapping tightly around thin, black wrists and successfully restraining them, a single knee bracing itself securely on the former ruler's legs, keeping them pressed firmly against the wooden floorboards as well.

Seeing this, Jack readjusted his own hold on the demon's shoulders accordingly, pinning him flat against the floor. Aku, despite being barely conscious, seemed to sense that they were up to something. "Aku, please, hold still," the samurai pleaded as the demon wrenched violently against their hold, a strangled, desperate cry wringing itself from that dark throat, fresh tears building up in his black, seemingly already lifeless eyes.

The liquid flashed blue as the burly man beside Jack began muttering something the human couldn't understand, his worried yet focused gaze always fixed on the struggling body beneath them, watching the former ruler closely. Only then did the samurai notice how pale his rival really was. And he was becoming even more so the more essence spewed onto the floor. "Scotsman-"

He didn't get to finish that sentence.

Aku's wound suddenly lit up and the demon _shrieked_, back arching off the wooden floor and eyes blowing wide as a foam like substance suddenly welled up and spilled from the deep stab wound in his chest, the former ruler wrenching frantically against their hands, twisting violently in their grasp, new tears, now also from overwhelming pain rather than just emotional suffering, spilling down his cheeks and mixing with the spilt blood there, a helpless scream echoing down the darkened hallway, soon joined by the distant sounds of crying infants. The Scotsman cursed loudly and vehemently as they both struggled to keep Aku pinned down while the liquid did its work, turning desperately to glance at his wife over his shoulder, black eyes wide and pleading. "Tend ta the children, lass. Please. We'll be fine 'ere."

The woman's eyes narrowed, but she eventually nodded, relenting to her husband's request and left, disappearing into the dark depths of their home. Once he was certain she was gone, the man turned back to the injured, thrashing demon, jaw clenched. "I swear te god I will end ye meself when the sun rises, ye big oaf."

Aku didn't reply, simply had no strength or will left to do so, his voice giving out at last and his body finally going limp in their arms. The blue glow slowly faded from the demon's wound, the foam like substance still crackling quietly in the deafening silence that had fallen over the tiny bedroom, the two men nearly holding their breath as they watched the other anxiously to see if the magic had worked.

It had. The bleeding stopped, the remnants of the spilt obsidian liquid still sluggishly dripping down the demon's sides, but there was no fresh blood welling within the deep wound, the demon's body lying still for perhaps the first time during the long, trying night.

The Scotsman allowed himself to let out the loud, relieved sigh he'd unknowingly been holding back, sagging in utter exhaustion where he sat on the wooden floor, his hands slowly uncurling from where they had been clenched tightly around the other's wrists, panting heavily. Jack copied him, his shaking fingers leaving Aku's form, though his onyx eyes never strayed from those familiar, green features.

Silence fell upon the small bedroom, only disturbed by the distant sounds of terrible singing. The Scotsman's wife must still be trying to put her newborn daughters to sleep after they had been woken by Aku's screams. Jack doubted she would be very successful if she continued on like that.. But, then again, they could've inherited their father's terrible taste in music, so it might just do the trick.

Even so, as they sat unmoving on the wooden floor, the samurai was simply unable to shake the feeling that something was terribly, _terribly_ wrong. He leaned over the demon's form once again, his breath soon stalling in his broad chest, onyx eyes going wide.

His instincts had never betrayed him before, not once during the twenty years he'd spent trapped in the future, but in that moment he desperately wished that they had.

"He... he isn't breathing," the human whispered in horror, voice faint and barely audible. "He.. He isn't-"

The Scotsman looked up, instantly alert to the new development, hand reaching out and placing itself lightly on the demon's neck, alarm flashing over his face as his fingertips failed to find a pulse, a whisper of air from shallowed intakes - anything that could prove the presence of life - a hissed curse leaving his lips as he immediately rose to tower over the other again, black eyes wide and worried. "Akew?" Meaty hands wrapped around those bony shoulders, shaking him slightly, muscular arms starting to tremble. "Come on, answer me, ye tree ogre!"

There was no response. The demon's body remained limp, completely lifeless in the other's grasp. Jack suddenly found himself unable to move, locked in complete motionlessness, onyx eyes wide and hands shaking where they were pressed flat against the wooden floorboards, long locks of raven hair sticking in thick strands to his sweaty forehead and neck.

"_He... He isn't breathing..._"

"Get 'im out of here!" His friend snapped, his hands already glowing a soft blue as he quickly muttered something in a language the samurai did not understand, but assumed to be some form of Celtic incantations, gaze never leaving the demon's still unresponsive form. "He's in shock. Please, lass, I can 'andle this. He does not need te be 'ere."

Jack didn't even notice as gentle arms wrapped around his middle, softly helping him up to his feet and escorting him outside the small room, the woman patting him on the shoulder in a comforting manner and flashing him a sad look before disappearing into the guest bedroom as well, the door sliding softly shut behind her.

The samurai was left alone, in the quiet, in the dark, his gi torn and covered in black stains, his palms... his palms soaked in Aku's blood.

He could only watch as the thick drops of the dark liquid rolled sluggishly down his long fingers, dripping heavily to the wooden floor below, his hands trembling where he held them in front of his face, expression strangely blank and his lean form shaking almost imperceptibly where he leaned heavily against the wall. The demon's blood didn't look all that different from a human's, he realized that with startling clarity now... The only real difference was the color.

Without even realizing what he was doing, the samurai suddenly strode down the dark corridor, driven by sudden, frantic desperation, until he found himself in one of the tiny bathrooms, trembling fingers turning the faucet on, the human sticking his hands beneath the strong spray despite the icy cold temperature. All he was aware of was that he had to wash it off, had to get it off his skin!..

"_Always be alert, my son. For the presence of evil is sometimes... right behind you.._"

Pale fingers clenched tightly over his head, heedless of the biting cold against his skin as tiny droplets of water trickled down his neck, soaking the collar of his stained gi. Jumbled, confused images flashed before his eyes, the sounds around him melding together until he could no longer distinguish one noise from the other.

He could see Aku laughing, eyes filled with savage joy as he surrounded himself with flames, and at the same time could see him crying as he huddled against a dark wall, shaking in overwhelming pain and terror. Could hear him gloating, taunting him as he held yet another time portal far out of his reach, and could just barely decipher the sound of his muffled sobs, his whispered, desperate pleas for mercy that he knew he wouldn't receive. Could remember the way he'd given out orders to enslave and brutally punish those who dared to oppose him and could recall the way he had frozen in place as he watched the slave machine he had once built be destroyed.

_The presence of evil is sometimes right behind you_...

Only now did he understand what his father had meant by that phrase, so many years ago now. Jack had always thought that he had been talking about Aku. Not only because the demon had chosen that exact moment to attack his village, but because it had always been within the demon's character to attack from behind, to worm his way into your mind, into your very heart and soul and destroy you from within. Through the use of deception, lies and manipulation, Aku had always made it his goal to eliminate everything that made a person good and replace it with his evil. He was an infection that you could not cure, an illness that you could not be rid of unless you were strong enough to resist him. The samurai had experienced Aku's effects on his own skin many times, and nothing had ever been able to convince him otherwise.

If it were not for Aku, evil would not exist in this world. How many times had he repeated that to himself over the last twenty years? It was a thought that he'd always believed and never once questioned, used to motivate himself in the most difficult times. But he had been wrong... So wrong..

He fell forward, legs trembling beneath his weight and hands grasping desperately at the porcelain bowl of the sink - by far the only thing still keeping him upright. Onyx eyes watched helplessly as obsidian blood dripped sluggishly from his trembling fingers, mixing with the cold, clear water and swiftly disappearing in the dark depths of the drain.

He could've sworn he'd seen it turn red..

His father had not been talking only about the demon when he had cautioned his son to be wary.

He'd been warning him about the people themselves.

Images of the broadcast came back to him with sudden, crystal clarity, the dark, cold and malevolent gaze of Aku's torturer seeming to stare into his very soul. There was no warmth in those eyes, nothing that would make them even remotely seem human. Only age long anger, malice festered there, as well as a deep hurt that seemed.. so familiar, so alike to the one he himself had harbored for his entire life. He'd felt that pain claw at him more than once, attempt to consume him, to enslave him, but he'd always been able to push past it, no matter how difficult things got. The memories of his home, of his people, of his _family_ had always kept him from falling over the edge, from succumbing to his anger and grief.

Khürel had not been able to do that, had not been strong enough to resist his hatred, allowed it to consume him and turn him into the monster the samurai had witnessed on those screens.

Evil had always existed within people without assistance, even before Aku's appearance. Whether or not you succumbed to it was entirely up to you.

"Ay thought I'd find ye here."

A soft voice spoke and he looked up, meeting the Scotsman's exhausted gaze, quickly wiping his hands clean of the remaining blood and facing one of his closest friends, struggling to conceal his inner turmoil, onyx eyes wide and anxious. "Is he...?"

"He's alive.. fer now anyway. I managed te boost 'is own natural supply of magic, jus' enough te start healing the stab wound. Whether or not it actually holds up is entirely up te 'im now. I den't think I'll be able te brin' 'im back again." The man rumbled, his voice unusually gentle and soft, a heavy hand placing itself on the samurai's shoulder, it's weight on his body both warm and reassuring. Jack couldn't remember a single time in their interactions when the other had acted this way, but he was grateful for it nonetheless.

"I knew Aku wanted to take his own life," he admitted in a whisper, his broken voice barely audible even in the silence that seemed to have fallen over the entire house, head dipping so that his long hair covered his face, suddenly unable to meet his friend's eyes.

He didn't see the man frown, didn't hear his surprised, sharp intake, but he did feel his hand leaving his shoulder, catch the faint notes of quiet shock and disbelief in the other's voice.

"What're ye saying, laddie?"

"I.. overheard rumors," he admitted softly, unable to speak in more than a murmur, almost as if he'd lost his voice, "But I.. did not believe them. Perhaps I did not _want_ to believe them. Even after.. After seeing him with that drone yesterday."

"'E dedn't figh' back intentionally," the man opposite him muttered, understanding flashing over his crude features as he leaned heavily against the tiled wall beside him, dragging a hand down his face with a sigh. Jack nodded, by far the only reply he could muster in that moment, onyx eyes downcast and fixed on his now spotless hands. He swore he could still see the blood...

Thick, warm fingers wrapped around his thin shoulders once again, breaking him out of his increasingly darkening thoughts and he looked up, straight into the black, calm eyes of one of his closest friends. "Ye did well, laddie," the Scotsman muttered, his voice still oddly soft, almost seeming out of place for someone of his character, "There's nothin' more ye could've possibly done. It's only thanks te ye that 'e's still alive, even if he wen't appreciate that when 'e wakes."

Jack shook his head almost helplessly at those words, fingers clenching at his sides and denial blooming in his covered chest, "I could have done more. I could have.. could have helped him before all of this could happen."

The man beside him heaved a heavy sigh, hands crossing over his chest in a tense manner, utterly at a loss of what to say. The Scotsman had never been all that emotional, operating more often than not on his instincts and lust for battle. But.. he couldn't leave his friend like this, that he understood clearly. He had to pull him out of it somehow. The man silently cursed the demon for putting him into this position. Even when he was highly depressed and struggling with suicidal thoughts Aku still somehow managed to create problems for others.

"'ey, what's done is done, laddie, ye can't change the past. No one can. And, if I'm bein' honest, it's not like the demon would've accepted yer help back then either, ye know that as well as I dew." The samurai's head dipped even lower in what he assumed to be agreement. "But ye can do somethin' now, ay?" He said, patting the other on the shoulder, expression brightening, just a fraction. "So he tried te end himself, that desn't mean 'e's hopeless. Akew's gunna pull through this, just ye wait. If ye think I'm gunna let that stuped tree ogre die before he can pay me fer the damaged floor, ye're sorely mistaken."

The human warrior allowed himself a small chuckle, pushing himself off the tiled wall with a little more effort than he would've liked, flashing his friend a small, grateful smile. "Thank you.. Is it possible for me to see him now?" The Scotsman nodded, silently herding him outside the tiny bathroom and gesturing towards the hall, Jack still too new to the house's layout to be able to orient himself around it properly.

"Ay. Me wife should be done washin' the blood offa 'im by now. Jus' den't be too 'opeful. I den't really expect 'im to be conscious, but if he somehow is, 'e'll probably be quite out of it."

"I understand, thank you once more for your aid," Jack said with a polite bow, flashing his friend another small, if a bit forced, smile before turning on his heel and hurrying down the long hallway, onyx eyes searching the darkened walls for the familiar door of the small bedroom.

It didn't take as long for him to find it as he expected.

He stared at the mahogany door for several seconds, unable to bring himself to reach out and grasp the handle in order to open it. It seemed like such a simple action and yet... Yet he couldn't help, but dread what he could find on the other side, the memory of Aku lying lifeless in their arms forever burnt into his mind.

Taking a deep breath, his pale hands pushed the door open, allowing him entrance into the tiny room-

It took his mind a few seconds to register what he was seeing, onyx eyes going almost painfully wide at the sight before him and jaw slackening in shock. But those few moments of stunned silence turned out to be more than enough for him to be able to block the sharp, green spines from slicing through his throat.


	10. Chapter 10

"He's been _what_?!"

Jack couldn't stop himself from flinching if he tried, the Scotsman's naturally loud voice seeming to magnify tenfold and radiate throughout the entirety of the large room in his surprise, a grimace briefly darkening the samurai's handsome features as he practically sensed the impending headache.

He'd known that this conversation wouldn't be easy, had suspected just how challenging it would really be. For all of them. But, no matter how difficult, it had to be had, his friend had to know the truth, had to realize the danger they now all faced from the demon's captors.

Aku most of all.

"Aku has been held captive. By my estimate, for about a year." _Not that he will tell me the exact time, or any other details for that matter,_ Jack silently added to himself, bitterness welling in his chest at the thought and his gaze reluctantly falling to the cup of tea he now held tightly in his grasp, his fingertips still far too numb from the chilly weather outside to properly register the scalding heat pressing against them. Stray, tiny leaves swam in the warm, amber colored liquid, drawing lazy yet intricate patterns into the mirror-like surface. The sight had never failed to calm him before, to help him gather his thoughts, and he could already feel it working now, his shoulders steadily falling from their stiff hold beneath the white fabric of his tattered gi. Even so, it was still difficult for him to continue, the human unable to stop himself from stammering out the neccessary words, suddenly hyper aware of where they were and who they were talking too.

The Scotsman had no reason to believe what they had to say. No cause that would be strong enough to stop him from killing the demon who had hunted him and his family for so long.

"And.. It would appear that.. In that time, he was subjected to… to many things. Including torture," He was only too aware of the violent shudder that word evoked, Aku's body steadily starting to tremble beside his own against the demon's wishes, dark claws clenching just a fraction tighter around the drink he, too, now held in his hands. But Jack couldn't apologize. No matter how much he might wish to do so. His friends needed to know the truth about what had happened, needed to understand that this wasn't another trick, that this was real. As difficult as it sounded, they _needed_ to know what those people had done to the former ruler, what they had put him through.

They _had_ to know that Aku was genuinely hurting. That this wasn't just another scheme to end their lives, wasn't a ploy.

_He told me he could handle this..._

Somewhere deep down Jack realized that he couldn't exactly blame the other for avoiding the topic of his injuries like the plague. Couldn't be angered by the demon's desperation to keep as many details about his imprisonment as possible to himself, the painful memories still far too fresh in the other's mind to be revisited at wish. Would've most likely done the same thing, had he been in his place. He _had_ been in Aku's place. More than once. But giving the other some space was no longer an option. Not after... after the reaction Jack had witnessed back in that snow encased forest.

_The demon didn't fight back as he was pinned against a large tree, merely hanging limply from the robot's grasp, his dull claws slowly uncurling from where they had been clenched tightly around the smooth metal. No matter how much he screamed, no matter how much he called out, begging for the other to fight back, Aku didn't seem to hear him, black eyes shuttering in resignation and... relief. There was no fear on the other's face then. No terror. Only a silent acceptance of his fate. Aku knew he was going to die and he.. he wasn't fighting it. Wasn't going to fight it. Because deep down.. he didn't really want to._

The samurai shook those thoughts away with a heavy sigh, tired, onyx eyes fixing on his long-time friend sitting across from him.

The Scotsman was still staring at him, they both were as a matter of fact, his wife's green eyes flicking minutely to Aku's trembling, mutilated form, disbelief all but rolling off the pair's hunched forms in waves. Jack couldn't say he was surprised, he had expected this. But that failed to make what he was trying to do here any easier.

When it was obvious that the demon's shuddering would not subside on its own, he reached out, gentle fingers settling lightly on a bony shoulder, an almost tender thumb rubbing firm, soothing circles into Aku's essence. The other instantly tensed beneath his touch, black eyes flickering in his direction- only to relax a few seconds later, the demon's clawed hands going limp where previously they had been clenched around the ceramic cup with almost crushing force.

He had to admit - it still felt bizarre, to comfort his enemy of all people this way after.. after everything they had been through. But Jack also knew he would never be able to forgive himself if he left the other to his fate now. Not when he.. not when he finally had a chance to make Aku _see_.

The man sitting opposite them heaved a deep, exhausted sigh, dragging a heavy hand down his face with a whispered curse that neither of his guests could understand, beady black eyes now watching the demon closely.

There was no denying the samurai's words, no matter how much he might wish to do so. Never in his life had the Scotsman seen such a pathetic, saddening sight as the one now seated before him, even after the countless years he'd spent battling against the demon's drones and bounty hunters, fighting for what he believed in.

Aku was pale, paler than he'd ever seen him before, the deathlike pallor of his usually brightly colored muzzle disturbing and at the same time unmistakable. The man had seen it before many times, enough to be able to recognize the signs for what they really were in an instant. The dark bags beneath the demon's eyes only confirmed his suspicions.

Exhaustion. Pain. Starvation. As well as indications of an inordinate amount of time spent somewhere dark, where no light could possibly reach him.

Like a dungeon.

Aku's essence was no longer that same pitch black hue as it once was, instead replaced by an unpleasant, dirty gray. Even that infamous green face seemed discolored, sage colored compared to its usual almost neon shade, the flames that made up his eyebrows just barely burning. The man couldn't help, but notice the faint stripes littering every inch of visible alien skin, the golden lacerations from a blade whose type he could no doubt name from experience, the raised ridges of fresh scars. There were so many of them... as if the person who had done this to the demon took their sweet time meticulously cutting into him, making sure there was no area left untouched.

The person who had done this... took great pleasure from seeing Aku in pain, harbored a lot of anger and hatred for the former lord. That person.. was no longer human.

The Scotsman suddenly had to wonder if he even wanted to know the full extent of the wounds hiding beneath the thick bandages wrapped firmly around the other's midsection. But, at the same time, he couldn't get over how thin the demon looked… Almost skeleton like, not even a shadow of his past proud self.

His heart clenched painfully in his broad chest.

Judging by the flash of dark eyes in his direction, Aku must have felt his gaze on his essence, knew he was staring at him, but his reaction was the complete opposite of what the man had expected.

The demon didn't snarl at him, didn't meet his eyes by purposefully averting his own, didn't present *_any_* hostility or challenge to what he would've usually interpreted as impertinence. How many punishments had he seen exacted because Aku had not liked the looks thrown his way, be it glares or otherwise? How many gruesome verdicts? Now, however, there was nothing. No anger, no indignation. Just.. overwhelming shame. Shame and fear and hurt.

Aku seemed to curl in on himself the moment he'd noticed his stare, thin shoulders hunching even further as he leaned slightly forward, the wooden table between them seeming to be the only thing holding him up, keeping him upright. As if it were his only support in this world. Even the samurai's comforting touch didn't seem to be helping anymore, the look on that green face still unreadable, kept carefully blank. But he didn't need to see the other's expression to know what the demon was thinking. The haunted, dark look in those glassy eyes spoke volumes by itself.

Those weren't Aku's eyes.. That wasn't the Aku he'd known his whole life. The demon was a shapeshifter, a masterful manipulator, but even he, for all his skills in deception, could not fake such a look.

The look of an abused, broken and terrified creature.

A sharp elbow made sudden contact with his ribs, but he barely winced, merely glancing upwards and meeting his wife's reproachful glance. Another, heavy sigh slipped past his lips.

"Ay suspected tha' somethin' was amiss when he stopped appearin'. I guess I'd hoped tha' I wes wreng when I saw tha' broadcast. At most, I jus' figured they'd given 'im a good thrashin'. Nothin' more." His gaze fell to the other's horns that were simply... no longer there. "Nothin' more.."

The demon looked away at those words, the pitiful remains of his antler-like appendages lowering until they were all but pressed flat against his discolored essence, his claws clenching tighter around the cup of tea he had been given. His throat flexed in a heavy gulp and his chest shuddered as he struggled to keep himself together, to keep his thoughts, his very emotions hidden from them. To keep them under control.

Without thinking, without even wondering about what the hell he was doing, the Scotsman reached out, thick, calloused fingers cautiously curling around one of those gray hands, a gentle thumb brushing against the thin knuckles of the demon's claws. Aku's eyes finally snapped upwards at that, meeting his own, the green jaw slackening in barely concealed surprise. "We're gunna pull ye out of this mess, Akew. I can promise ye that."

He could tell that the ruler didn't believe him even as that dark head dipped in a shallow nod, claws flexing for a few seconds before going still, his wife finally stepping forth once she sensed the demon's ongoing discomfort and growing distress. "Well, it's a lot te take in, fer all of us, an' I'm sure ye're quite scunnered from the day's events. How 'bout I show ye te yer rooms fer now, aye?"

"That would be most welcome, thank you," Jack uttered with a relieved smile for both of them, slowly rising from his seat by the wooden table and abandoning the cup of half-drunk tea he had been given, the demon doing the same beside him, if a bit more reluctantly.

The Scotsman merely nodded as he watched them go, his gaze falling to the smooth, brown surface in front of him, fingers tapping out a thoughtful, yet at the same time tense rhythm against it. This.. wasn't what he'd expected to find, wasn't even close to what he'd thought he would discover when he'd set out to track down his friend after the rumors circling around him had become too much. The samurai helping his greatest enemy? It had simply been too ludicrous, too bizarre to actually be real.

And yet… here they were.

"Why sheld I care?" His own exhaustion-filled voice whispered, echoing in the confines of the suddenly empty room, "How many good people have I seen hurt because of that demon's cruelty? How many lives have I seen destroyed because of his heartlessness?" Too many. Far, far too many. And he wasn't sure he would ever be able to forgive Aku for the things he'd done. But…

The memory of the demon hanging limply from the drone's hands flashed before his eyes, of Aku sitting across from him at the wooden table, so thin, so hurt, so.. utterly shattered. It didn't feel right, it _wasn't_ right. What had been done to him was beyond loathsome, even given the circumstances and his past actions.

Death would've been far more merciful. A far more preferable outcome to _this_. And he had a nasty suspicion that the demon would agree with him on that.

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

"_Don't you know? Aku has committed suicide. He's dead._"

Satina couldn't believe what she was hearing. None of them could.

A deafening silence had swiftly fallen over the gathered minions, speechless horror washing over them in an icy wave.

No… that couldn't be true… Aku wasn't..

But there was no denying the quiet sincerity in the human's voice.

And just like that - the room exploded with noise. Screams, shouts, angry snarls and utterly heart broken wails mixed into a deafening cacophony of sounds, echoing painfully in her own ears. Clamping her clawed hands over her head failed to drown them out, the demons' pain resonating within her own rapidly beating heart, the alien emotions of grief and sorrow washing over her. No, no Aku couldn't be gone. She didn't believe it, she _wouldn't_ believe it. He would come back. He was _supposed_ to come back. Aku was _supposed_ to win! Like he always did!

He was a wizard, a demon king, almost a god. He couldn't be defeated, couldn't be hurt or broken. He couldn't have taken his own life, he simply couldn't have!

But the reality was the complete opposite of how things should have gone.

The wall was cold and damp when she collapsed against it, no longer able to even stay on her feet, slowly sliding down to sit on the stone floor, her hands still clamped tightly over her ringing ear slits, her eyes clenched shut. She didn't see Akou lunge forward, claws outstretched with the singular purpose of sinking themselves into human flesh. Didn't see Akita hold him back, his yellow eyes radiating silent agony. But she did hear the mournful wails of the gathered demons, filled with so much pain, so much despair.

In her long service as Aku's personal assistant, she'd only heard that sound once. And once was more than enough.

"You're lying," Akua's voice, choked and desperate, rose easily over the sorrowed shouts of her fellow minions, and Satina forced herself to open her eyes, looking up at the distraught demon, her breath hitching in her narrow chest at the quiet grief in those familiar, snake-like eyes.

Nergui shook his head, his gaze softening with pity in the face of such strong denial, sadness rolling off his form in waves. No matter how much the reptile wanted to believe the falseness of the offered sympathy - she couldn't. Either the human was a really good liar, or he really did care, somewhere deep, deep down. Regardless of the obvious sincerity, Satina was going to go with the former.

"You know I'm not," the man said almost gently, gunmetal gray eyes narrowing in what was awfully similar to real sympathy, "I only wish to help you."

Bitter, almost hysterical laughter burst from the medic's chest, her whole body seeming to shake with the force of it. It was enough to startle everyone around her, even the reptile hiding within the dark shadows, alarm flashing over all of their faces. "Help us?! You really expect us to believe that now?!"

The golden collar flashed around her neck as if punctuating her words.

"I have no quarrel with you," the man said simply, shrugging his thin shoulders beneath the thick clothes draped over them, his hands disappearing within the dark folds. "You were not personally responsible for the destruction of my village. You are innocents that were unfairly dragged into a fight that does not concern you. Khürel may not understand that, but I assure you that I do."

"You made us a part of your quarrel when you chose to hurt our master," Akou hissed from where he was still being held back by his comrade, lips peeled back in a ferocious growl, baring long, deadly fangs. He was not deterred even when Akua shot him a warning look, shaking her head in silent warning. "You drove him to this! You killed him! And you honestly expect us to sit down and listen to you after what you've done to our leader?!"

"Leader?" Nergui echoed almost thoughtfully, fixing the minion in his steely gaze. "Is that really how you think of him? Not a tyrant, not a conqueror, or even an overlord, but a leader? Someone worthy of your respect? Interesting."

The gathered demons shared a confused glance. A quiet, questioning and utterly puzzled murmur travelled throughout their ranks. Some shook their heads, others shrugged their shoulders. There were even those, among the younger generation, who twirled their finger over their temple, suggesting that the human now standing before them had clearly lost his grip with reality.

Akua's eyes narrowed into tiny slits. "Our reverence seems to confuse you," she stated, her voice as cold as ice.

If he picked up on the silent threat, Nergui chose not to show it, his hands disappearing in the folds of his clothes once again as he rocked back on his heels in that same considering manner, a look of almost bored concentration on his lined face. "It does," he said at last, meeting the female's gaze without hesitance, without even the slightest bit of fear, despite the fact that, had she been standing, Akua would be more than twice his own height. "Considering the circumstances upon which he recruited you."

Akua's ears twitched, by far the only physical sign of her surprise. Satina went still as well, her clawed fingers slowly uncurling from where they had been clenched tightly over the sides of her head, confusion blooming in her narrow chest. What in the ever loving hell was the human talking about?

Despite the deafening, puzzled silence, Nergui continued.

"The years spent under the emperor's rule… those were dark times for your kind, weren't they? You were mercilessly hunted down, stigmatized, your nests destroyed, your children gruesomely slaughtered in abhorrent rituals. You had nowhere to go, little ways to fight back and defend yourself. Not that you were completely guiltless, of course." He added almost as an afterthought, biting his cheek in a look of intense thought, gray eyes glinting in the semi-darkness of the citadel like tiny stones.

Akua's own eyes narrowed further, her turquoise markings flashing in what they all recognized as suspicion and alarm. "Your point, _human_?"

"Demons don't usually have leaders, do they? A hierarchy system?" The man continued, watching the medic carefully, his gaze suddenly sharp and focused, seeming to stare right through her with little effort on the human's part. "You live near each other, occasionally help out, yet at the end of the day you are still solitary creatures. But, after centuries of living this way, you suddenly anointed Aku as your leader, pledged your loyalty to him. Tell me, why is that?"

"What, you're saying he manipulated us?" Akou snarled, grief thickening his voice, his body finally going limp in Akita's claws. Nergui shrugged again, expression kept carefully neutral, tone aloof and even, his eyes never quite leaving Akua's face. Akou felt something cold sink into the pit of his stomach. Even with the rampant sorrow and anger coursing through him he could still sense that something was off.

"I think it's best if you ask her that." The man said quietly, gesturing towards the huddled form of the female demon.. who was no longer looking at any of them, her head dipped low and ears pressed firmly against her skull.

Satina's brow ridges furrowed, confusion welling in her chest, poisonous green eyes focusing on the medic's hunched over body. But it wasn't her who actually voiced the question suddenly plaguing them all.

"What is he talking about, Akua?" Akita asked, his usually rumbling vocals seeming hushed, choked even, his yellow gaze dim in the semi-darkness of the citadel's chamber. Almost as if he already knew the answer to his own inquiry.

Only silence met his words, the female demon refusing o meet his gaze, her eyes downcast. Seeing this, Nergui knelt down before her with a soft sigh, gray eyes soft and almost sad. "He threatened you, didn't he, Akua?"

Yellow, snake-like eyes flashed angrily in the dark gloom that seemed to have suddenly fallen over the small room. "He needn't have," she said in a whisper, her accent appearing to only thicken as she forced herself to utter those words. "I would've accepted his proposal either way."

The gathered minions shared a look. Shocked, confused murmurs sounded on all sides, everyone's collective attention now focused on the human and cat-like demon. Akou slowly shook his head in both denial and disbelief, claws shaking where they were clenched into tight fists, triangular ears pressing flat against his dark fur. "What are you saying..?! Akua?"

"He presented you with a choice," Nergui finished quietly. It wasn't a question, the human already knew exactly what had happened all those years ago, when the demons chose to bestow their loyalty upon a creature who probably deserved it less than anyone else living on the planet. "You could either join him and convince others to do so willingly, or you could be _forced_ into servitude. And you call him your leader, your savior, when all these years you've been nothing more than slaves…"

Akua looked up, her expression dark and the look in her eyes nothing short of murderous. The mere sight of the silent _fury_ was enough to shake even Satina to her core. She'd never seen the medic _this_ angry before… Not even during her arguments with their Master over his health and welfare.

"Aku promised a better life for our kind in exchange for our loyalty and I accepted his offer. Nothing in the following years has made me regret my choice. He kept his word, and we were finally able to take control of our lives, finally able to find a place to call home where we would be safe, where our kind would flourish! Submitting ourselves to his leadership was a very small price to pay."

The man merely cocked his head to the side, a light frown briefly darkening his sharp features as he studied the odd demon before him, gunmetal eyes narrowing in silent appraisal. "You were lucky. You realize that, right? You had no guarantee that he would deliver. Aku could just as easily have double-crossed you once it was too late. Just like he did to so many others." Akua didn't reply, her gaze falling to the floor, suddenly finding herself unable to continue staring into the human's eyes. Nergui merely heaved a heavy sigh, slowly rising to his feet and turning to face the gathered demons, satisfaction briefly washing over him at the visible doubt, confusion and hurt growing within their ranks.

Their confidence in their former master was finally starting to crack.

"You lied to us.." A small voice said and the human looked over, his eyes falling on the hunched form of the canine-like demon, the black fur that had been fluffed up in anger and hatred mere minutes ago now lying flat against the creature's body, making him seem far smaller than he really was. But Akou was not looking at him.

Pain flashed briefly over the young demon's face. "You said he only wanted to help us. You said he was genuinely on our side."

Akua reached out, her trembling claws brushing against Akou's shoulder - only for the other to flinch away from her touch, lips twitching over his long fangs in obvious distress. The female's cat like ears flattened and she slowly lowered her hand, her markings dimming in sorrow. "I did what I thought was right for us Akou. How much longer would we have suffered if I refused him then? How many more demons would we have lost to the human mages? I did what I had to in order to protect you."

"You had no right to make that decision for us," The other demon hissed, bitterness all but rolling off his shivering form in waves. He wasn't the only one. Akua was only too acutely aware of the rising anger, of the heavy scent of betrayal that had fallen over their small community. "We trusted him, we trusted _you_. You had _no_ right to lie to us this way."

"Aku is and always has been a masterful manipulator," The human interjected cautiously, scrutinizing every face as he began to pace around the small room, watching the gathered minions closely. For a fleeting, terrifying moment Satina thought that the man's gaze had fallen over her hunched form, had glimpsed it despite the dark shadows shrouding her hiding area, but in the next Nergui was already moving, his gaze directing elsewhere. "He learned of your despair, of your struggle against the human scourge and he used that to bend you to his will without you even knowing. Tell me, are those the actions of a true leader? Or of a tyrant? An opportunist? Is that really the person you want to continue serving to?"

Only silence met his words. He continued.

"I understand that this must come as a bad shock for you, especially after.. after the recent news-"

"Just because of the way Aku chose to make us join his ranks, does not mean that he is still completely apathetic toward us after all these years," Akua broke him off vehemently, struggling to rise to her feet, the tip of her powerful tail curling instinctively where it dragged against the stone floor, giving her better support as she finally came to stand on two legs, swaying from pain and exhaustion.

"Trust me, I know. I've worked for him longer than anyone here, I'm _closer_ to him than anyone here. While we might indeed have only been tools to him in the beginning, I admit that, we certainly aren't mere objects now." Her gaze swept over her comrades, desperation all but dripping off her lean form. Very few found it within themselves to meet her eyes.

"Aren't you? Are you sure?" The human asked, stepping forward, expression darkening, just a little. "Have you noticed the way he's been treating you ever since the samurai appeared in the future? Do you remember Demongo?"

Akua went very still, her claws slowly curling into fists. A quiet hush fell upon the demonic minions as they shared a silent glance, uncertainty blooming within them, steadily replacing the grief they had experienced upon learning of their Master's passing.

Gunmetal eyes flashed in concealed triumph.

"Aku sent Demongo, one of your own, after a known, highly dangerous warrior that he himself could not defeat, fully aware that he could be hurt, that he could be killed. And when he inevitably failed to enslave the samurai's essence what did Aku do? He crushed him. Wasn't it your own personal assessment of his condition that he has little chance of ever recovering properly, Akua? It's nothing short of a miracle that he survived his experience at all."

"Demongo abandoned our ranks long before he was sent after the samurai," Akua snarled, though they could all hear the smallest hint of hesitation in her voice as she uttered those words, see the barest of twitches of her torn ears. "He was always planning on taking Aku's place. All he wanted was power and recognition, and he did not care the slightest bit about what we were trying to build. He was a threat to all of us!"

"Was he really? Or was he simply someone who disagreed with Aku's decisions?" The human countered her sharply, his calm facade just barely starting to crack."Was he really a danger to all of you, as you say, or just someone who threatened Aku's rule?"

The cat like demon opened her mouth, no doubt ready to contradict the human standing before them, to keep fighting for her master's honor- only she never got a chance to do so. Nergui broke her off before she could utter a single syllable.

"Aku has _always_ been willing to use you to his advantage. He _abandoned_ you when he chose to escape us. He _left_ you to your fate when he decided to end his own life!" The human continued heatedly, stepping forward until they were practically face to face, gray eyes staring straight into slitted, yellow ones. "Face it. The only person Aku ever cared about was himself."

The cat-like demon's fangs bared.

"_He killed himself because you drove him to it, you-!_"

"That's enough, Akua," Akita rumbled quietly from beside her, his eyes downcast and forlorn and his arms crossing tightly over his broad chest as he refused to look at either arguing party. "You're done."

"Akita-"

"No," the demon cut her off abruptly, yellow eyes flashing in the gloom of the crowded chamber, his gaze hard as stone. "I don't want to hear another word from you, none of us do." Akua's blue markings flashed, her mouth opening and closing as if she desperately wanted to say something, anything, but simply couldn't find the right words to do so.

When she did talk, her voice sounded choked and almost pleading. "I did what I had to, you know that. For _us_, for our _future_."

"_It wasn't your choice to make!_" Akita suddenly exploded, turning on the female demon, yellow eyes flashing in startling, fiery fury and fangs baring in a ferocious growl.

Akua flinched back, her claws clasping nervously in front of her and her eyes widening in shock and guilt, her markings dimming until they were just barely glowing. Even Satina recoiled from the reptilian demon's towering form, surprise briefly flashing over her delicate features.

She had never heard him yell before.. He'd always been the calmest among all of them, their voice of reason in the most difficult of times..

Akita took a deep breath, his shoulders held tense as he took a few seconds to collect himself. When he continued, his voice was soft and dripping with heartache.

"This has always been your problem, Akua. You are willing to lie and go behind everyone's backs if you believe that it will be good for them. You make our decisions for us, without consulting us, without asking what _we_ really want. You gambled with our lives when you agreed to fool us into following Aku, don't you understand that? He could've easily chosen to enslave us, to attack us and we would've been completely helpless in the face of his power. Just because we did not expect it. We had the _right_ to know what we were signing away our freedom for," he leaned forward until their muzzles were almost brushing, large, slitted eyes peering deep into the female's own. "You can't protect everyone by taking their choices away. When are you going to stop blaming yourself for something that happened so long ago now? Just because you failed to save your cubs that day-"

"Don't," Akua whispered, her voice soft, but firm even as she looked away, no longer able to hold her comrade's gaze, her shoulders hunching and her arms crossing tensely over his chest, more of a meager protection against the words ringing in her ears rather than a show of any real defiance. Akita seemed to smell her palpable distress, because he backed off, but the reproach, the grief, the overwhelming sense of _betrayal _was still there, festering just beneath the surface, long claws clenching tightly into fists.

"We should have known the truth about Aku..."

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

The entire house reeked of Aku's blood. No matter how hard she tried to block it out, she wasn't quite able to do so, the strong stench invading her nostrils and open mouth, making her head spin and her heart skip several beats in both anger and worry.

If she found a corpse now, the samurai would certainly be saying goodbye to his own intestines before the sun could even rose into the sky.

Tracking her master down from the site of the recent battle hadn't been all that difficult. Satina found it almost comical that such a renowned warrior as the human himself had left such obvious tracks for her to follow.

A faint indentation in the soft soil here, a miniscule drop of blood there... Honestly, anyone with the most basic knowledge of tracking would be able to locate where the samurai, along with the demon in tow, had gone. However, she was not about to complain. The other's negligence had allowed her to follow them this far after all.

The house's hallways were dark and empty as she slunk along them, her fin cautiously unfurling and her whole body held tense, not unlike a spring, ready to attack should anyone choose to stand in her way now.

Aku had to be near, she could feel the scent steadily growing stronger, the bitter tang of the demon's blood on her tongue nearly enough to set off her gag reflex, her needle-like claws scraping soundlessly against the polished wooden floorboards.

The foreign sound of hushed voices soon had her pressing flat against the wall, her poisonous green eyes narrowing dangerously as they landed upon the slightly ajar door across the hall, her plum colored scales glinting softly in the dim light as she went very still, listening closely.

She knew one of the speakers.. the samurai was here. Whoever was there with him, on the other hand, was completely unfamiliar to her.

"_…. So he tried te end himself, that doesn't mean 'e's hopeless. Akew's gunna pull through this, just ye wait.._"

Her claws twitched, the by now familiar sensation of grief threatening to consume her. The human hadn't been lying after all… But the unknown man _had_ said that Aku was going to recover. The demon was still alive. Satina forcefully stamped down the relief and joy that almost instantly bloomed within her chest.

She needed to see him. She needed to find Aku.

The humans didn't seem to hear or sense her presence as she slipped past the open door, easily blending in with the deep night shadows flooding the hall, her long tail twitching before cautiously wrapping around her wrist so as not to drag against the wooden floor and attract unnecessary attention to herself.

The last thing she needed was for the two warriors to learn of her presence before she could reach her Master.

The mahogany door creaked softly as she pushed it aside, throwing her whole weight against it, and she winced, stiffening for several seconds and listening intently, letting out the relieved breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding back when only silence prevailed. Even so, Satina had to withhold a curse.

Stupid. She should've been more careful. She could've easily been heard.

But all those thoughts were almost instantly chased away when her green eyes finally landed on the thin figure lying buried beneath the thick blankets upon the bed.

Satina was moving before she even realized it. One moment she was standing in the open doorway and the next she was already at Aku's side, her slitted eyes sweeping over the other's frail form and worry swiftly taking hold, her claws shaking where they pressed against the firm wood and soft fabrics.

The demon looked far worse than when she'd seen him last, his essence even grayer than before and seeming to almost take on a silver hue in the pale moonlight pouring through the single window, his face oddly peaceful and serene in his deep sleep. The reptile's poisonous green gaze swept attentively over the white bandages just barely peeking out from beneath the edges of the thick blankets draped over Aku's form and winding around the ruler's right shoulder, soft yet obviously firm. No matter how much she wished to do so, she could not find fault with what she supposed to be the samurai's work.

"Sa…tina?" A faint, weak voice sounded from beside her and she immediately looked up, her eyes meeting Aku's own, shuttered ones.

Before she could even think or question what she was about to do, her hands reached out, softly wrapping around the demon's dark claws, holding them with startling gentleness, a scaled thumb brushing almost tenderly over the gray essence there.

"It's okay, Master," she whispered to the half conscious demon, settling lightly on the very edge of the soft matress.

"_I've finally found you… I'm sorry for taking so long.._"

The door swung open and she moved without thinking, launching herself at the dark form of the unknown newcomer, driven only by the sudden, desperate need to protect her injured leader.

The samurai managed to dodge her blow just in time, onyx eyes widening in alarm before narrowing into tiny slits, determination darkening those handsome features as he instantly sank into a battle stance, the sword glinting blindingly in the moonlight streaming into the small bedroom. The reptile merely hissed at him in defiance and fury from her new place high up on the wall, claws digging into the smooth wood and successfully keeping her elevated well above the floor, her body instinctively rearranging its weight to the new conditions and ensuring that she would not fall.

She saw the man's eyes dart between her and Aku and instantly flung herself between them, blocking Jack's view of the lone bed.

Satina would be damned before she would let him anywhere near the weakened demon.

The human's features darkened even further and the reptile only had a few seconds to jump aside before she could be impaled upon his shining blade, her claws meeting cold steel with a shrill clang.

Had she been out in the open, Satina would've undoubtedly been in trouble. Her superior speed and poison infused spines would not have been enough to keep the samurai, who was notorious for his fighting skills, at bay. But here, in this small room, it was the reptile who had the most advantage as she could use the walls around them to launch herself at her opponent, or to avoid his blade. Even so, her position as the Aku's protector still severely limited her range of movement.

Jack ducked in order to avoid another swipe of her spiked tail in just the nick of time, but failed to fully dodge her as she propelled herself at him from above, powerful legs pushing her off the ceiling and claws outstretching themselves in front of her, soon sinking themselves deep into the flesh and muscle of his upper arms.

A strangled shout wrung itself past the human's lips at the sharp sting of pain, eyes screwing tightly shut and body preparing to throw her off him- only to go very still at the sensation of her long fangs just barely brushing against his suddenly vulnerable throat. Onyx eyes snapping open, he stared into the crazed, green eyes looking down at him with so much malice, so much fury, his mouth briefly falling open in shock. The samurai wrenched violently against the creature's grasp, jaw clenching as he failed to free himself, the being above him preparing to deliver the final blow-

"Satina… stop…"

The fangs came to a sudden halt mere millimeters from his pale skin. A strong strike from the reptile's powerful tail soon sent him crashing into the opposite wall, next to the bedroom's door, the small creature slowly backing away until she was standing by the bed, her long tail twitching in a tense manner, the poisoned spikes upon them still more than ready to sink themselves into the human's body.

"The samurai…," Aku rasped, just barely managing to force out the words, exhaustion sinking deep into every line of his malnourished form, "the samurai.. didn't… he helped.."

Satina blinked. Her form almost instantly relaxed, pupils dilating back into their neutral state and the crest decorating her triangular muzzle slowly folding back into a non threatening position.

She glanced back at the samurai.

He'd already managed to drag himself to his feet in order to retrieve his trusty sword and was attempting to inch himself towards them, worry flashing briefly over his face as his gaze fell upon the half conscious demon.

The spiked fan decorating the tip of Satina's tail unfurled in a flash. The human froze where he stood.

"That's enough," Aku whispered, his black eyes sliding slowly shut, "I'm.. tired.." Within seconds, his breathing evened out again, the demon finally succumbing fully to his exhaustion. Satina merely bared her fangs at the samurai's form before springing lightly, almost weightlessly upon the bed, curling up in a tight ball at her Master's side. Her long tail wound around them both, the long, green spikes connected to each other by nothing else than plum colored skin unfurling once more, as if shielding Aku from the baffled human still standing by the open doorway.

If the samurai didn't know better, he'd say the action was the creature's version of a ceasefire declaration.

When the Scotsman barged into the room mere seconds later, spouting curses and brandishing his Celtic sword, Satina barely flinched, her worried green eyes never leaving her Master's sleeping form and her clawed hands reaching out to softly clench around his.

**A/N: **Answering your question, my beautiful unknown reviewer, the main pairing is still Jack and Aku, but don't worry. Satina will hook up with someone by the end of this fic ;)


	11. Chapter 11

She was born on a stormy, summer night, that much she remembered clearly. The trees of the black forest in which they lived in had been particularly noisy that late evening, the loud rustle of their leaves and the sharp whistle of the wind outside as it swept over the thick canopies successfully covering up the sounds that would've normally alerted every human village out there that new little monsters were about to be brought into this world. It would seem that even they, with all their dislike and hatred towards the demonic race, could not stand watching innocent newborns die.

Even if they were going to be killed eventually, born into a world that loathed and actively sought to eradicate them.

As far as she knew she was the only survivor of the litter of four, a black female cub with a distinct white chest that had been passed down to her from her distant northern relatives and turquoise tinged horns and markings that were quite common amongst her felidae comrades. She was perfect, but at the same time she was weak, sickly. Liable to die within the next few days. Not an unexpected consequence of the difficult life all the demons led during those dark times of the emperor's rule, but a distressing one nonetheless.

It would not be the first time that they lost their offspring to the difficult age in which they were forced to live in.

However, their daughter soon proved herself to be much stronger than either of them had expected, almost stubbornly clinging to life and steadily becoming more and more active as the days slowly trickled by, as was common for demons her age. Her parents had breathed a sigh of relief then, the same exact thought going simultaneously through their exhausted minds:

Our little girl's going to pull through..

Though their hope and joy at the rising chances of their only daughter actually managing to survive to adulthood evaporated within the next few years.

The female was energetic, too energetic. She was simply too eager to learn about both herself and the powers she had in her possession, ones that greatly exceeded the abilities of many creatures of this world, most notably the human race. It was soon very apparent that she did not have a single cautious bone in her entire body. Demons like her did not live long. They quickly made enemies and were instantly put down by those afraid of their strength, of their power. If she wasn't careful, if she didn't learn to control herself, then it wouldn't be long before their dear cub had a target on her back. But there was nothing they could do. She wouldn't listen to any of their warnings, simply refused to hear what they had to say, her own excitement about trying out her own abilities, witnessing what she could actually achieve, clouding her judgement, silencing the cautious warnings of both her elders and her own mind.

After all, she was far more powerful than any mortal creature this world had to offer. What could possibly go wrong?

As expected, life taught her a harsh lesson about itself soon enough.

The young demon had merely been experimenting with her powers, as she had become accustomed to, testing out what she could do and pushing at her limits, curiosity and wonder filling her entire being as she gazed upon the magic that had been so generously gifted to her at birth.

The human child had appeared out of nowhere, had startled her, it's shrill, terrified screech shattering the previously peaceful silence of the winter forest and causing her concentration to slip for just a single, catastrophic second, her own abilities that had seemed like a blessing for so long now acting as a curse, responding to her sudden, overwhelming fear with startling force. Almost as if they suddenly had a mind of their own.

She hadn't meant to set that village on fire. Hadn't meant to kill all those people, their bloodcurdling, haunting screams filling the cold winter air and echoing in her own ears. Hadn't meant for something like that to happen. She hadn't-

"You monster!" Someone shouted at her and a searing pain consumed her left shoulder as something sharp was flung at her in rage, her wide yellow eyes meeting black, human ones. Shock locking her in complete motionlessness, it took her a few seconds to realize what had happened. What was happening to her at that very moment. Her shaking, black claws wrapped around her shoulder, feeling the wet, hot and sticky liquid slowly trailing down her arm, matting her soft fur. Only then did she realize what it really was. Blood. She had learned to instantly recognize that smell a long time ago now. She was bleeding.

They… they had flung a knife at her. They had actually meant to hurt her..

"Seize that demon!" A new voice yelled, and she looked up, her cat-like ears pressing flat against her skull. They were gathering now, those villagers that had previously been watching in shock and horror as the flames consumed their village, jumping from one house to another with terrifying ease, screams and cries of women, children and men alike filling the air as they either caught on fire themselves or struggled to escape their burning homes. "That monster did this! Kill it!"

She fled, falling to all-fours without a second thought and racing towards the comforting cover the forest provided, weaving expertly between the familiar trees even as her blood ran cold within her veins, panic consuming her as yells and curses sounded behind her, sharp projectiles whistling past her head and sinking deep into the thick trunks surrounding her on all sides. A shrill cry finally wrung itself past her lips as her ears suddenly lit up in white, hot agony, obsidian blood pouring down the sides of her face as several arrows finally made contact, shredding the sensitive tips and forever mutilating them beyond regeneration.

Tears prickled at the corners of her eyes.

She… she hadn't meant for that to happen. Hadn't known that something like that could happen, that she could actually dothat. Hadn't meant to kill, to hurt, to destroy. All she had wanted to do was to test out her powers, to see what she was actually capable of, what abilities she had in her possession. She just wanted to know what she was able to do.

Wracking sobs assaulting her form, she bolted, enraged screams and curses echoing in the cold winter air behind her, their horrid sound forever imprinting themselves within her darkest memories.

She wanted to run to her den, wanted to see her parents, to feel their comforting touch and hear their soothing rumbles, but knew that she could not do that. Never again. She could not afford the humans finding out where they lived, could not risk the lives of those who had nurtured her. She was entirely on her own now.

And so, the demon ran, leading the enraged crowd farther and farther away from the lands she knew so well and forever leaving everything that was even remotely familiar far behind her, thus starting her solitary life far sooner than any demonic cub ever should.

She was only fifteen years old at the time.

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

The next three years soon turned out to be a difficult game of survival. The other demons, while willing to offer her help at first, were forced to ask her to leave soon enough, reluctant to have strangers around their lands for far too long. Some allowed her a few days to rest and recuperate, most chased her away almost immediately.

She couldn't say she blamed them, would've done the exact same thing had she been in their place. Demons were recluse creatures, having strangers around their lands put them on edge and with the human threat steadily growing once more they simply could not afford to gather in large groups. Their best bet of staying alive would be to keep themselves as spread out as possible.

Fortunately, she was a quick study. Game, though hard to come by, fell into her claws frequently enough to keep her alive, provide her with just enough strength to travel. Being constantly on the move did not bother her as much as it could have had she been really starving.

She'd eventually lost her human pursuers that horrible day, but, unfortunately, word spread quickly among the mortals' villages. A price was put on her head, but it would've been placed upon her eventually anyways, regardless of whether or not she had indeed proven herself to be a threat to any of their settlements. Demons were monsters from birth after all. Evil incarnate. Why allow any one of them to live even if you stumbled upon them by accident? Even if they did nothing wrong?

But, as loath as she was to admit it, their hatred was not entirely unfounded. She was the living proof of that. How many deaths had young, inexperienced demons like her with far too much power on their claws cause? Be it accidentally or otherwise? Too many. Far, far too many. All because they were incapable of fully controlling their undeveloped, unstable magic, had no opportunities to even try to teach themselves to control it without fear of bringing harm or drawing the wrong kind of attention to either themselves or their families. But the humans didn't know that, didn't understand that, didn't bother to try and reach out to them, too scared and superstitious to even think to do so.

If there ever had been a chance of a peaceful coexistence between their species, it had been lost a long time ago.

The leaves crackled quietly behind her and she spun around, instantly alert to the new presence and barely having enough time to jump to the side as an enchanted arrow whizzed past her form with a sharp whistle, the cold metal tip embedding itself deep into the brown bark of a nearby pine. She acted without thinking, her instincts screaming at her to run even as her own magic surged through her entire being with renewed strength, leaving her body in a concentrated blast that she didn't even realize she had conjured until it was far too late, her yellow eyes going wide.

Her human purser fell to the leaf strewn ground with a terrible, horrid screech as his entire body suddenly caught on fire, the powerful, magical flames consuming and burning him alive within mere seconds, the charred form soon going silent and still upon the forest ground. Shock at her own actions consuming her, the demon stumbled away, slowly shaking her triangular head in both terror and denial as she gazed upon the blackened mess that had once been a living creature, her back slamming against the rough bark of a nearby tree as she collapsed heavily against it, shaking from head to toe.

She.. she had killed again. She hadn't meant to kill him, all she had wanted was for him to get away from her. The demon had just wanted to be left alone. But her own, undeveloped and unstable magic had apparently had other plans on the matter, surging forth against her wishes and felling the possible threat before it could do anything to the cat-like being, before it could even think of trying to harm her again.

"He shouldn't have followed me," she tried to rationalize to herself, her sharp claws curling with almost bruising force around her own head and her torn ears pressing flat against her skull, her thin body soon starting to tremble uncontrollably where she sat upon the leaf strewn ground. "He was going to kill me, I had no choice.. He shouldn't have followed me… I didn't mean to.. I couldn't.. couldn't control it!.."

Fear washed over her and she curled up, choked sobs slipping past her lips against her wishes, the warm bark against her back comforting and yet terrifying at the same time. Over the panicked thoughts racing through her mind like a mantra, she could just barely discern the branches rustle, the surrounding trees reaching out to her, trying to calm her as best as they could. They, who hated the demonic race with every fiber of their beings, were suddenly calling out to her, doing their very best to offer her some comfort.

She'd be lying if she said that that did not shake her to her very core.

He shouldn't have followed me…

Rare, burning hatred suddenly consuming her, the young demon stood up, walking over to the fallen form and slamming her clawed foot against it again and again, silent tears running down her cat-like face.

"Why can't you leave us alone?!" She wanted to screech, pearly white fangs glinting in the low light of the autumn forest, her yellow eyes flashing in all consuming fury. "If you had just let us be, if you had simply stayed away, if you had allowed us to live without fear of being discovered then none of this would've ever happened! You would still be alive! And I… I would know how to control this power within me.."

It took her a long while before she managed to force herself to step away from the charred body. It took her even longer to gather her thoughts and leave the crime scene, but not before yanking the enchanted arrow that had nearly killed her that day out of the tree in which it had embedded itself, flinging it unceremoniously to the soft ground.

She did not need it. Merely looking upon it made her feel sick, but she could not stand the thought of the pine itself suffering from it.

The world blurred into unrecognizable shapes once more as she sank to all fours and ran, desperate to get as far away as possible, her claws sinking deep into the friable soil as she propelled herself forward, the long, powerful leaps taking her farther and farther away from that accursed place. Only one thought ran through her mind then.

"Our fear and your own hatred is what's killing you.."

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

They had lived for twenty-seven hours. Three hours longer than the norm, than what was usually expected of cubs born to a teenage demon. Just when she had begun to hope that maybe they would pull through after all, that they would live, they had been viciously torn away from her, their small bodies falling still and cold within their distraught mother's embrace.

The demon should have expected this, should have been able to foresee her own loss. If she had been taught anything during her short stay with her parents it was that teenage pregnancies were dangerous, in most cases - fatal to both the newborns and their foolish parents. It wasn't just the nutrients that the cubs depended on during their development after all, but their magic as well in order to start building their own. A demon as young as her could not provide them with that, could never even hope to sustain them, her powers far too unstable to properly support herself, much less the growing life within her. It was nothing short of a miracle that she had managed to survive the process at all.

She should have expected this.

Even so, she could not stop the grief from blooming within her chest, wracking, yet quiet sobs assaulting her form as she curled tightly around the small bodies that had been so full of life a mere hour ago, her cat-like muzzle burying itself deep into their soft fur, her yellow, snake-like eyes slowly sliding shut. They were gone, forever gone, because of her own mistakes, her own inability to help them, save them.

She should have known better.

Human shouts sounded somewhere in the distance, the mortal creatures drawn to her agonized roars and pained screeches not unlike moths to a flame. She tried to rise to her feet upon hearing them, but wasn't able to, almost instantly collapsing back down to the hard ground, a strangled hiss leaving her clenched fangs and her torn ears pressing flat against her narrow skull in pain.

Anger and hatred roiled within her chest.

She knew why they had come here, knew what they were really after. They were here to slaughter her little ones, to kill her. To eliminate another possible demonic threat, another monster while it was completely defenseless and unable to struggle against them.

Typical, ignorant humans!

But lashing out now, in her severely weakened condition, would be suicide. For the past few years the human threat had been steadily growing, the emperor of the lands sending out his people into the world in search of new ways of dealing with the demonic population, equipping his mages with new, highly dangerous and lethal weapons that dwindled their already rather small numbers with rapid speed. Rituals, poison dipped arrows and blades, new spells - all of them meant to kill and destroy even the strongest among their ranks. And there was nothing she could do but watch as her fellow demons fell one by one, succumbing to their injuries and no doubt treatable illnesses. And she was tired of it. Tired of running, tired of hiding, tired of fighting for what she deserved.

She was so, so tired of witnessing death.

She deserved to live without fear, they deserved to live in peace without being hunted down, without being harvested and killed. Deserved a place they could truly call home, where they would be safe and where their kind would finally prosper. So that no demon ever again had to experience the same pain she did.

At the same time, however, she was no fighter, she knew that. She would not be much of a help in battle. But, perhaps, there was something else that their kind needed and that she could become.

The young demon remembered seeing humans tend to their own warriors, fixing wounds that would've normally proved to be fatal, so that they could fight another day. Maybe she.. she could become that instead. For her people. For her lost little ones. Could make sure that none of them had to suffer a slow death from easily treatable injuries and diseases again, could provide help to those who so desperately needed it.

She could make sure that no mother had to lose her children the same way she did. Never again.

When the sun finally peaked over the horizon, it's crimson rays bathing the deep emerald forests in their bright glow and slowly turning the dark blue sky into a beautiful shade of purple - the young demon left, her pawsteps falling silent against the soft soil of the lands she knew so well, leaving a small, triangular mound of dirt in her wake.

She would later visit this place for thousands of years, always on the same day, at the same time, commemorating the difficult decision she had made back then to walk away from her old lifestyle in order to build a future for both herself and her fellow demons and, in doing so, perhaps even atone for the many mistakes she had made over the short years of her existence.

Especially for those that had resulted in so many deaths.

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

The human scrolls turned out to be of little help. Though she had spent countless hours studying them, deciphering them, watching the described methods being implemented in action - it had little effect on creatures as powerful as demons. In spite of her failures however, she kept trying, listening in and watching the mortal medics at work, educating herself as much as she possibly could about the different tactics of restarting a heartbeat, possible usages of different plants and ways to fix broken bones.

Fortunately, she did eventually start making some progress by comparing demonic biology to theirs. Though scavenging for the bodies of her own kind and cutting them open sickened her on some level, she knew it was necessary for furthering her own knowledge, and so she grew used to it, continued studying and taking note of every little difference that she could possibly find, using everything she learned as stepping stones in her quest to become the first medic the demons ever had.

Her first success was when she managed to resuscitate a mouse by placing her clawed palm over its chest, pulsating her own dark magic throughout its tiny body at the same rhythm as the one she had witnessed with the human medics. It had later died of it's injuries, but the fact that she had been able to bring it back at all, even for a few minutes, brought her great joy and hope for the future nonetheless.

Though it would be a long time before she achieved any real results.

Finding a suitable cave took some effort on her part, but she managed to locate one relatively quickly, swiftly rearranging it to fit her new needs. It didn't take her long to fill it up, the bitter yet pleasant tang of herbs and fresh paper overpowering the other smells brought in by the cold, moist breeze and seeping deep into her fur, masking her natural scent from the creatures surrounding her. Not that it really mattered. No demons came by here anyway, avoided the area like the plague, having heard of the strange being now inhabiting these lands. The spreading rumors failed to bother her however, if anything, they provided her with the peace and quiet she so desperately needed in order to be able to carry out her own experiments.

And little by little, her efforts had begun to pay off. The young demon started to learn how to set bones, to disinfect and dress small wounds that would've otherwise led to a severe infection, taught herself how to use her magic in other ways rather than for destruction by channelling it into the mixtures she made and later tested on small critters before applying to her own, tiny scratches. Not a minute was wasted during those harsh two years before the birth of the demon that would much later become her master and, eventually, her friend, spent in constant study and discovery.

And as she got better and better, constant practice and a rare thirst for knowledge pushing her to constantly improve her own abilities, others began to come to her for aid. She could not help all of them, not yet anyway, but she did the best she could for them regardless, even when the battles between them and the human race became exceptionally fierce, even when the bitter tang of infection overpowered the strong scents of herbs and obsidian blood stained the stone walls of her home, pained moans and pathetic, heartbreaking cries for help becoming a constant background noise as she struggled to save as many lives as she possibly could. But as the vicious battles slowly grew in frequency and numbers, her hope and spirit slowly began to wane.

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't save all of them. Very few of the injured that were brought in ever left her den alive. None of her yet rudimentary methods and techniques worked on the deep, gruesome injuries dealt by the human mages, their spells far too powerful even for her own demonic magic. The best she could really do was make them as comfortable as possible before their inevitable passing, to provide them with painkillers as her dressings and powers failed to work, watching in silence as the life slowly left their tormented bodies. Pain and guilt and grief eating away at her day after day, it became more and more difficult for her to accept new patients as she already knew she would not be able to help them and merely add them to her already long list of lost lives.

And then.. when she'd almost been ready to finally give up on her endeavor, a miracle happened.

One of her patients, who had been gravely wounded during the most recent skirmish with the emperor's lackeys and had been classified as one who would never recover, survived his injuries. Her treatments had finally begun to work.

And she would later only continue to improve upon them as the years went by, the human threat suddenly lessening one day until it was almost nonexistent. With her efforts, their demonic population began to grow once more and she became widely known amongst her own people, respected, trusted.

Fame had never really been her goal, but it became a useful tool that she learned to use to her own advantage, training youngsters and spreading what little knowledge she had as much as possible, slowly setting up communication and rebuilding as much of their society as she could before the humans' return. Because they would be back, she knew that. And the demon would be damned before she allowed her comrades to be caught off guard by them again.

It was time that they started pushing back once more.

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

One of her latest foraging trips had led her to the wasteland this time. Under normal circumstances, she would've avoided the place like the plague. But with the human threat at an all-time low and her severe need for a certain herb that only ever grew here, she decided to risk venturing into the wide, open space this time, paying constant, close attention to the world surrounding her in case she did encounter anything that could prove to be a danger.

It took her a while to feel it. It took her even longer to even see or hear it. A powerful presence had fallen over the previously empty lands, the strong, familiar vibrations of dark magic making her fur stand on end, her claws flexing anxiously at her sides.

A large tree towered over the the cracked, almost lifeless ground, it's gnarly roots digging deep into the hard soil and large, bare branches casting dark, ugly shadows upon the vast, empty space surrounding it. This was the first time she was seeing it too. It hadn't been here before, that she knew with utmost certainty. But this presence.. it felt demonic. Yet how could that possibly be? She had never encountered anyone this strong, the powerful magic almost smothering her own, making her knees threaten to buckle and her lean form to shake, the young demon unable to stop herself from swaying uncontrollably where she stood.

Herbs long forgotten and curiosity swiftly taking over, she cautiously approached the confusing object, her turquoise nose twitching just slightly as she scented the stale, hot air surrounding it, tried to figure out what exactly it was that she had discovered. Her dark claws brushed against the unusually warm bark, cautiously pulsating her own magic through them as she tried to figure out what she was seeing, feeling beneath her fingertips. The last thing the demon had expected was for the supposed tree to actually snap at her. In clear, human tongue no less.

"Get your filthy paws off of me, you mortal whelp!"

She lurched away in surprise, her yellow, snake-like eyes going almost painfully wide and her ears pressing flat against her skull in unconcealed fright. This.. this tree had just spoken to her. It had spoken to her! It had an actual voice.

It took her a few minutes to rediscover her ability of speech, but when she did, her vocals were hoarse and growly, her long fangs glinting in the bright sunlight as she spoke in the most common of their demonic dialects. Only silence met her quiet inquiry, the creature obviously failing to understand what she was saying yet too proud to admit it. After waiting for a few seconds, she decided to switch languages in spite of her fear, every instinct within her screaming to get as far away as possible even as the loathed human language finally left her lips almost painfully slowly, reluctantly, her accent thickening more than it ever had before in her surprise.

"Who are you?"

The entire tree seemed to bristle at her innocent question in indignation, the barest twitches of bare branches almost passing for those caused by a slight breeze if it were not for the fact that there, surprisingly, was no wind around here, the land lying still, silent and dead around them. "Who am I?! I am Aku! The Shogun of Sorrow! The Deliverer of Darkness! Your new master!"

Her unimpressed skepticism must've somehow reflected on her face, because a displeased hiss left the dark bark in front of her even though she could not quite identify it's exact source, the whole tree seeming to tremble with the creature's displeasure. After a few moments of simmering anger, however, it spoke up again, almost.. almost as if it were desperate to start some form of conversation, worried that she would just turn around and leave without ever planning on returning. "And what form of insect are you?"

Her reply was rather simple even as amusement bloomed within her chest, her yellow eyes seeming to brighten in a hidden smile.

"A demon. Like you."

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

Days turned into weeks. Those, in turn, slowly trickled into months.

Her visits to the wasteland and the demon entrapped within it became more and more frequent over time, the two demons enjoying the relatively pleasant company, however much they both might have wished to deny it.

Though vexing at best and insufferable at worst, Aku turned out to be rather good at engaging her in conversation, even if he listened to her less than half the time they spent together and bragged or vented for most of it. The tale behind his imprisonment within the gnarly tree hadn't surprised her in the least, her own personal experience with the emperor and his lackeys flashing before her eyes as she leaned back against the other's large roots, somewhat comforted by the welcoming heat they provided and completely disregarding the offended growl the action earned her. She would be leaving soon enough anyway, surely he could tolerate it for about ten minutes until her inevitable departure?

To her surprise, Aku never interrupted her when she finally gathered enough courage to relay her own experiences to him, listened quietly as she told him everything, surprising even herself in the process. She had never trusted anyone enough to tell them about her past, had kept it to herself all these years, afraid of letting anyone in. Even the reptilian demon that she had saved from a mortal injury that day and who she would later know as Akita had only ever heard it partially. And yet, she relayed it all to Aku now, keeping perhaps only one aspect of her story hidden from him: the death of her cubs.

Even thousands of years later the demon would wonder why she had ever decided to confide in Aku then, ask herself what had prompted her to even think of doing so. Had it been because of her loneliness? Or because she had understood, even back then, what a powerful ally the future overlord would prove to be? Had she been searching for support? Or had she already been playing her game of manipulation in order to sway him to their side?

Regardless of her motivations, Aku had refrained from speech for a long time, as if mulling her story over, the two of them simply reveling in the peaceful silence that had fallen between them. It was only when she rose to her paws to leave that he finally spoke up once more and she all but heard the frown in his voice, her torn ears twitching just slightly in curiosity at what the other was about to say now. Was he about to mock her? Jeer and laugh at her? Send her back to her den humiliated and wracked with shame at her own foolishness and naivete? She wouldn't be surprised if that were indeed the case.

But what he asked next caused her to go almost deathly still in her shock, nearly dropping the plants she had painstakingly scavenged for her latest experiments.

"What is your name, demon?"

A small frown pulling at her cat-like features, she briskly gathered her belongings, yellow eyes flashing in Aku's direction in confusion and suspicion. "I.. do not have one." Neither had she ever really needed one. After all, what was the point of having a name, an identity, if you lived in a world that actively sought to eradicate you? It was better to remain nameless.

With the herbs gathered safely back into her arms, she turned away, fully intent on returning to her den and trying out her new idea when Aku spoke up again, his voice unusually quiet.

"Akua."

The young demon turned around, her turquoise markings flashing in puzzlement and her yellow eyes narrowing into tiny slits.

"What?"

"That will now be your name. Akua."

A small smile pulled at the corner of her lips, her ears twitching upwards where otherwise they would've remained laying almost flat against her head. "You are naming me after yourself?"

Aku bristled, a displeased snarl leaving unseen lips even as she laughed outloud, her white chest heaving with the force of her mirth. If she didn't know better, she'd say that the other was offended by her gentle teasing. Especially when he quickly snapped at her in retaliation, voice dripping with defensiveness. "It is a perfect name! And you should be honored to be named after the great and powerful Aku!"

"Well, in that case I am willing to take it," Akua grinned, accepting the name even though she did not yet know of it's importance, baring her long rows of sharp teeth in a bright smile, yellow eyes twinkling with amusement like tiny jewels. "I suppose it could've been much worse."

Judging by the sharp twitch of dark, leafless branches, Aku would've been all too happy to hit her upside the head had he actually had the chance and ability to do so.

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

Smoke and smothering heat consumed her world, the terrified wails of her wounded comrades echoing in her ears even as she struggled to push down her own panic, chest-crushing fear and terror engulfing her shaking form.

She.. she had known that they would be back, that they would come after them eventually, but she hadn't known, hadn't suspected that they would discover her den, would choose to attack her as well as the wounded in her care. It seemed so ludicrous, so.. dishonorable for those who supposedly had a strict moral code that they always followed.

Unless… Unless they realized that she was at the center of their uprising. Figured out that without her, the demons would be severely weakened, easier to wipe out.

They... They had come here for her.

Dark claws wrapped around her shoulders, dragging her out and away from the smoke engulfed cave despite her writhing violently against them, desperate to get to the demons still trapped inside even as arrows whistled over their heads, human screams and agonized shrieks of their wounded comrades mixing into a terrible cacophony of noise, echoing in their own ears and forever imprinting themselves in their darkest memories. Through the dense smoke clouding her vision, she could just barely make out the emperor's form standing upon the top of the hill that had used to shelter her den from view for so long, watching the chaos unfold. "Let go of me! I have to get them out!"

"It's far too late for that," Akita's deep voice growled into one of her torn ears as he forcefully dragged her away from the horrifying scene, his yellow eyes wide in panic and rage. "There's nothing we can do for them now. If we are to fight another day, we have to get out of here while we still have a chance to do so. Be reasonable, Akua!"

Akua knew he was right, knew that they had to escape if they were to ever avenge their fallen comrades, this.. this crime that the mortals had committed against their species, but suddenly found herself unable to move, watching helplessly as dark forms flooded the place that had once been a sanctuary for her people, staining the soft ground in obsidian blood and orange flames licking at the smooth stone of her cave, forever charring it, as if symbolizing their defeat. Tears starting to flow down her face, she didn't fight as the other had to practically carry her into the safe cover the forest provided, unable to tear her gaze away as everything she'd so painstakingly built over the last decade went up in flames, as her comrades, who had just begun to hope for a better life, a better future without pain and fear, were mercilessly slaughtered by those who did not understand them, claimed to be so righteous.

For a brief, short moment their eyes met, the emperor's and the female demon's, the two of them merely staring at each other for what seemed like hours, both expressing their hatred, their absolute loathing for the other, their disdain. Akua knew then that the human had recognized her, knew that she was the one who had done this, had restored their demonic population and pulled them all together, knew that she would now be forced to spend her whole life in hiding, targeted by the leader of these lands himself.

Even so, she bared her fangs at him without even a hint of fear, her yellow eyes flashing in the dark gloom of the night forest like tiny fires of hell themselves, her turquoise markings flashing green in all consuming rage.

He would pay one day for what he had done to her people. She would make sure of it.

And Akua would later uphold that promise too.

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

He appeared before her out of nowhere one early summer morning, his massive, pitch black form blocking out the bright light of the overhead sun with terrifying ease, looking down upon her comparitively tiny figure in silence. She didn't need to recognize his appearance to know who he was, didn't even need to look up from her work, the familiar, powerful presence encapsulating her own, and yet, she couldn't help but notice that it was carefully controlled, held back just enough not to be smothering, not to bring her any harm.

"Aku."

The creature towering over her grinned, baring rows of sharp fangs, the flames that made up his eyebrows blazing brighter at the mention of his own name, his black eyes watching her carefully despite his obvious mirth. "Akua."

Huffing an amused breath despite the situation being anything but that, the cat-like demon looked up, her yellow eyes meeting his, her dark claws imperceptibly clenching tighter around the wad of scrolls she had been able to salvage during her escape from her burning home, something akin to trepidation and at the same time excitement blooming within her pearly white chest.

She already knew why he had come here. Knew what he had done to the human empire that had oppressed them for so long. Knew what he wished to offer her, if only out of his reluctance to waste time conquering them or perhaps his gratitude for her company during his long years of imprisonment. Even if he was still more than ready to end her life if he so needed to. "You are here to ask me to join you and persuade others to do so as well."

Aku's grin only seemed to grow exponentially at her words, black eyes lighting up in barely concealed glee, his spiked arms crossing over her chest and his claws that were easily as long as her entire body tapping almost idly against his dark essence. As if already savoring the sensation of tearing her apart should the need arise. "Indeed. I came here to strike a deal with you, Akua. I do not wish to waste time on you and your kind. In exchange for your service, your loyalty, I can provide you with the life that you so desire. Or-"

"-Or you can just force us into servitude," the demon finished for him, her yellow eyes flashing in the semi darkness as she looked up, meeting his gaze without fear, without even the barest hint of hesitation.

She had already known that she would accept his proposal long before he had even decided to appear before her.

"I accept."

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

Akua loathed the mines.

Although she had dreamed of this moment for so long, dreamed of the day when they would finally be free of oppression, looking upon the struggling, starving humans brought her little pleasure. Even when the memories of her dying comrades flashed before her eyes. Even when the sounds of their screams consumed her dreams, turned them into nightmares. But she would not help them. No. They did not deserve her aid. Not after everything her people had been through.

Akita didn't look up as she walked past him, his yellow gaze turned to the laboring mortals and his posture held tense, arms crossed tightly over his now covered chest. To her slight irritation, he had a much easier time watching them suffer than she ever did, perhaps because he had spent the better half of his life fighting against them. While Akita had lived by ending lives, she had spent years teaching herself to save them.

Even her burning hatred would never be able to make her fully enjoy the process.

"You…"

The quiet, familiar voice made her come to a sudden halt in her tracks, her yellow eyes falling to the huddled form now collapsed by one of Aku's newest statues, dull, human eyes, now void of the hardened glint they had held within them for so long looking up at her, watching her carefully despite the creature's obvious exhaustion.

She recognized him instantly. The human emperor.. Oh, how the mighty had fallen indeed.

"Me," She stated, turning to face him fully, her voice as cold as ice. The human failed to show any fear despite the fact that she easily towered over him, more than twice his own height even if he had been standing on his two feet. She'd be lying if she said it did not infuriate her on some level, but she held her vexation back, kept herself calm despite being faced with the same person who had killed so many of her fellow demons, had caused so much pain and devastation to their kind.

A bitter chuckle left the mortal's lips. "I should have known that you would be one of the first creatures to join Aku.."

Akua's fangs bared in a fierce snarl. "Not that you left us any other choice."

The human nodded, his matted, grayed and dirty hair falling over his eyes as he huddled against the smooth wood behind him, wracking coughs assaulting his frail form, something red splattering to the stone ground beneath them.

The demon's ears twitched. So.. the human was sick, most likely dying.

Good riddance.

"I would say, that you are the ones who left yourselves with no other choice instead. Not us."

Akua's eyes flared in rage. A choked breath wrung itself past the man's bloodied lips as her dark claws wrapped around his throat with bruising force, lifting him up from the ground with terrifying ease until they were practically nose to nose, her snake-like eyes boring deep into his own, the elegant, turquoise markings lining her face glowing in the dark gloom of Aku's mines.

"You are the ones who led us to this! You are the ones who attacked us, hunted us, harvested our magic for your own personal use and drove us to live in fear of ever bringing your attention to ourselves!" Akua snapped, her fingers squeezing tightly around that pale neck. She was practically hissing at this point, her fangs glinting in the low light in her overwhelming anger and her magic sparking along her wrists and fingertips, as if requesting her permission to end the arrogant mortal's life once and for all. She held it back, however. For now anyway.

"Don't you remember? You burnt down my den that day, slaughtered dozens of wounded like we were nothing, like we were animals for you to put down!" She spat, her torn ears tilting forward, baring their mutilated tips, as if punctuating her words. "And you dare call yourselves righteous after that!? You have the audacity to think of yourselves as heroes?!"

The human said nothing, a short, pained cry escaping his pale chest as she suddenly released him, his body slamming painfully and viciously against the stone ground. Despite his obvious pain, the former emperor forced himself upright regardless, spitting out blood, the red liquid dripping sluggishly from the corner of his lips and disappearing within his filthy beard. Akua, however, was far from finished.

"You sent your son after Aku a few days ago, did you not? Your own flesh and blood… And you forced him to fight your battles for you… I wonder, did you tell him of your crimes against us? The very ones that you are being punished for now? Or did you conveniently omit the fact that you had attacked Aku without provocation practically the moment he clawed his way out of those pools?"

"And what about your crimes, demon?" The human rasped, a grimace marring his sharp features as he rubbed at his abused neck, dark blue bruises already blossoming upon his deathly white skin. "What about the countless villages your youngsters had burnt down over the years? What about the numerous hunters that entered the woods to provide their families with sustenance only to never return home again? What of our livestock that you used to slaughter on a regular basis, forcing entire families to starve during the harsh winter months? What about them?"

Akua went very still, her tail lashing furiously in the cold air behind her even as she remained silent, her yellow eyes slowly narrowing into tiny slits. As if sensing that he had found a weak spot, the human smiled up at her, baring his bloodied teeth. "You like to play the victim in all of this, when in fact you are no better than us and you know it all too well. You just do not wish to admit it, fool yourself into believing your own lies in order to silence your own conscience. Not that you have one." Another bout of vicious coughing assaulted the emperor's form, even more blood flowing past his cracked lips and joining the small puddle already forming on the hard ground, the demon currently standing over him remaining silent and unresponsive. "The only consolation I have is that just as I have been punished for my misdeeds now, so will you be forced to face the consequences of your actions years from now. Mark my words."

Already growing tired of this pointless conversation, Akua began to turn away, claws flexing in a tense manner at her sides. What the human said next, however, stopped her in her tracks once more. "But if you really wish to exact your revenge for the lives that I had taken… here is your chance now."

The question left her lips against her wishes, her body tilting slightly sideways until she could just barely see him from the corner of her eyes, ears twitching in barely concealed surprise. "What?"

There was no longer any mirth or disdain on the man's face, instead replaced by pain and a rare, bone deep exhaustion. Despite appearing like even the smallest of movements brought him great pain, the emperor forced himself to speak up regardless, making one final request to the very being he had both hated and admired for so long. "If you really want to punish me for the deaths of your people… I will not fight you."

Realization briefly spread over the other's cat-like features and the emperor knew that Akua had successfully read between the lines, understood exactly what he was asking of her. The only question now was whether or not she had enough mercy left within her to carry out his last request.

Relief bloomed within his bruised, bloodied chest when she slowly turned around to fully face him, her yellow eyes glowing brightly in the darkness that seemed to have suddenly fallen upon the vast mines like tiny suns. Something flashed over her face then, there and gone before he could identify the exact emotion he had seen, the demon medic stepping closer until she was standing before him once again, her paw just barely dipping into the puddle of blood he had unwillingly coughed up and her dark claws slowly unfurling at her sides.

"I hear that your son has killed several of our comrades a few days ago in order to attack our master," she said loudly, emotionlessly, almost as if she were reading an invisible script, her sharp-tipped fingers glinting ominously in the low light of the large cave.

"It would only be fair if I evened the score, wouldn't it?"


	12. Chapter 12

He found her sitting on a large boulder by the river's edge.

From this distance he could not quite see her face, not with the angle at which it was turned away from him, but he could almost imagine the by now familiar expression of deep pondering she always seemed to wear these days upon it, her thin eyebrows pulled together into a small frown, creating neat little folds between them and the look in those green eyes distant, almost sad, forlorn, wistful even. Sometimes, he had to wonder if he should be disturbed by the sheer way he'd memorized all her emotions by heart, had to consider what this meant for him. Worried about what the others would think of his feelings toward her if they ever were to find out, if they hadn't already done so of course.

Nothing good probably, and honestly, he wouldn't be even the slightest bit resentful for it. He knew better than anyone just how inopportune his timing was, how none of them could really afford starting relationships. Not now and probably not ever.

She looked up as he drew closer still, her face tilting upwards at just the right angle for the sun to hit her face fully without blinding her and irradiating her delicate features in the most pleasing way. She wasn't the most beautiful woman out there, even he, for all his attraction to her, could admit that she fell within the range of being naturally pretty and nothing more than that, but at this exact moment, with her thin figure illuminated by the bright rays of the golden disk hanging above them, she was absolutely stunning.

"Hey," he said, voice quiet and gentle as he carefully lowered himself to sit beside her, brown eyes meeting forest green. "'En said I would find you here. What's wrong?"

She looked away, her long, walnut blonde hair spilling over her shoulders in gentle waves. He had the sudden urge to brush them away, to reach out and feel those soft strands beneath his fingertips, but forcefully tamped it down, keeping his hands out of the way and clasped tightly together in his lap.

After a few minutes of silence, the young woman seemed to finally gather enough courage to speak.

"Doesn't it bother you at all, Hue? The way the world around us appears to be the same in spite of our knowledge that it is entirely different?"

The man beside her frowned, confusion briefly flickering over his face.

"I'm.." He let out a nervous chuckle, softly shaking his head from side to side, abruptly feeling both sheepish and foolish. "I don't think I'm following you."

She stood up, the leather ensemble she wore suddenly appearing strangely out of place upon her lithe body, looking beyond strange around her delicate form. For a single, short moment, the young woman appeared to be almost transfixed by the azure waves of the river glittering in the sun above them and he looked down at them as well, wondering what she could possibly be seeing within their dark depths. But then she was looking at him again, something thoughtful, something sad flickering over her youthful face, there and gone within seconds.

"Yeah, I knew you wouldn't... But I guess.. for a moment there, Hue, I just hoped that you would." There was no mockery in her voice then, no condescension or ill will towards him, just overwhelming melancholy and old grief.

He looked up at her again. "Why do you insist on calling me that?"

She shrugged, slowly sinking down to sit beside him once again, her pale hands folding in her lap and her long fingers gently interlacing, bracing against one of her knees.

"I guess.. because out of everyone here.. you're still the only one besides me who even remotely sees the colors."

He frowned, said nothing. The girl continued on regardless of his silence.

"You know, 'Gui always wondered why I love winter. Out of all seasons, it's perhaps the most desolate, colorless and overall depressing. And yet.. that's not exactly true, is it? If you really stop and think about it... With all its whites and grays and blacks and browns it's just as colorful as Summer, Autumn and Spring. And is equally as beautiful. But.. he doesn't see that. He can't see that. Can't perceive all those different shades.. Not yet anyway," she tilted her face towards him, forcefully meeting his gaze, green eyes boring into those the color of dark wood. "But you can. I know you can. You just knowingly choose not to. Why?"

It was his turn to be quiet, to be reluctant to speak. Somehow, she'd managed to peer right into his mind, into his very soul and did it so easily, so utterly effortlessly. He suddenly realized just how much he was discomfited by that, how frightened he was of her unique abilities. For a second, he even had to wonder if he should perhaps just stand up and leave, rejoin the others at the camping spot they had chosen for the night. But.. something prompted him to respond to her regardless, to give her the answer that she sought so desperately.

"Because shades don't change anything," he said grimly and quietly, his fingers tearing a few strands of emerald grass from the ground beneath them, twirling them either in thought or search for some form of distraction from the topic of their conversation. "They may give you a different perspective, a better view and understanding, but they don't change the picture as a whole. They don't make it any less uglier. They don't present themselves as good excuses, in fact, they don't present themselves as ones at all. They are not worth your attention, and trying to decipher them, going so far as to lose yourself within them in a desperate bid to learn, will only lead you down the wrong path and leave you stranded, hopelessly confused. I can't- I won't let that happen to me, or any one of us for that matter. I just.. can't. What we're trying to do here is far too important for us to take that risk."

She hummed quietly, the sound nothing short of musical to his trained ears and he could tell that she was carefully considering his answer, could practically see the wheels turning smoothly within her ever inquisitive, peculiar mind.

"I think you're wrong," she said with a deep sigh, her bare feet just barely dipping themselves within the cold waters of the river, hands bracing themselves against the boulder she was now sitting on. "And yet I hope you're right. It's just... I guess I expected things to be a lot more different when we found ourselves.. here, wherever, or whenever here actually is. And when I look around.. I.. I see the ugliness, the darkness, but I also see the beauty, Hue, I see the light."

Her head dipped, her face now nearly level with her shoulders as she hunched over, her long hair spilling down and concealing her features from his view like a thick, golden curtain. "I just can't stop thinking that.. what we're doing here is the wrong thing, the path that we are following is leading us farther and farther away from the sun and into the shadows of ignorance and eternal hatred. I can't stop wondering if maybe... If perhaps there is another way for us to settle this."

He reached out, gently gripping her by the shoulder and she instantly tensed beneath his touch, yet did not pull away from it. "There is no other way for us, Sarnai," Khürel said, his voice no more than a hoarse, broken whisper. "No matter how much any one of us might wish otherwise."

She didn't resist or fight him as he softly pulled her to her feet, shedding his coat and draping it over her thin form despite her already rather warm clothes, mindful of her recently wavering health. Sarnai said nothing even as she frowned slightly at his overly considerate behavior that was now just barely bordering on irritating, accepting his offering graciously nonetheless and pulling the coat tighter around herself as they started their slow trek back to their chosen camping spot.

"Come, Nergui and Erden said they found something interesting that might just help us in our quest."

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

"What the 'ell even is that thin'?"

Jack discreetly glanced over his shoulder at the lone bed standing in the now darkened room.

The lizard, the creature, whatever it was, was still lying curled up at Aku's side, right where they had both left it last, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the demon's form and posture relaxed, appearing to have long since lost all interest in their continued presence, or perhaps no longer considering them enough of a threat to actually bother paying attention to. Whatever the reason behind its current docility was, Jack found that he couldn't care less as long as it brought no harm upon Aku.

"I…. Am not sure." And he really wasn't. He'd never seen this creature before, had never even heard of it or encountered anyone like it in the many cities he'd visited over the course of his travels. Yet.. he knew for sure that the demon was familiar with their odd… guest, for the lack of a better word, and that it knew him in turn, listened to him, followed his orders immediately and without question judging by the way it had backed off the moment Aku had told it to. Could it be one of his minions perhaps? It would explain a lot of things, but... At the same time it didn't seem to possess the ability of speech or any higher intelligence as it had failed to respond to their many attempts of communicating, only growling and glaring at them from its place at the demon's side. Maybe it was a strange sort of pet? They couldn't know for sure, but one thing was for certain...

"I do not think it intends to harm Aku," he said quietly to his flabbergasted companion, watching the two darkened figures carefully.

The reptile had shifted where it lay upon the soft covers while they were talking, its triangular muzzle now propping itself up on the former tyrant's covered middle and the crest adorning its skull twitching every now and then. Despite its newly closed eyes, the samurai couldn't help, but get the distinct impression that the creature was listening closely to their hushed conversation, understood and knew exactly what they were talking about and yet continued to make no effort to reach out, only snarling viciously whenever one of them tried to approach it.

It didn't trust them anywhere near the injured, unconscious demon, that was for certain, and did not have any intention of giving them an opportunity to try and convince it otherwise.

"How d'ye figure tha', laddie?" The Scotsman finally asked from his spot beside him, his beady black eyes never leaving the lizard's form, body held tense and voice dripping with suspicion. "Just cause it isnae hurtin' him now doesnae mean it wen't do that once we go. Maybe it jus' doesnae wanna face bothe of us in a figh' cause it knows it stands no chance of winnin'."

"No… no I… do not think that is the case here," the samurai said slowly, his onyx eyes inconspicuously studying the much smaller form. For a split-second, he thought he saw those green eyes open and flicker in his direction, peering up at him and actually meeting his gaze head on, pupils glowing in the darkness like tiny stars. Thought he'd seen some emotions flicker within their depths, there and gone within a few moments, the creature soon turning it's back upon the two of them once again, its tail curling just a fraction tighter around the wooden bed and the unconscious form settled upon it. But despite its open dismay, he recognized those emotions almost instantly. He'd seen them many times in the twenty years he'd spent stranded in the future, enough to be able to name them upon a single glance. Shock, confusion, suspicion… all adding up to a single, silent question.

The creature was asking him why he had chosen to help Aku, didn't trust him, questioned his motivations and very behavior. And Jack suddenly found that he had no answers to offer it.

"It followed his orders," he said at last, turning to face his long-time friend once more, expression troubled. "It listened to him when Aku told it to stand down. It could have easily used my shock to end my life, but it backed off the moment he told it to. I.. I believe that this… creature is one of his subordinates. Perhaps even one of his evil minions."

It felt strange now, calling Aku's allies this way. The word itself felt weird in his mouth, the meaning behind it no longer being the same. Not anymore. Not with the recent developments, not when he'd learned that there was no inherent version of it, not truly, and that in the end it was your choice and your choice only whether to succumb to its calls or not.

There was no such thing as pure evil, and he knew and accepted that now.

The samurai studiously avoided his friend's incredulous gaze as the other turned to fully face him once again, forced himself to disregard the way those thick arms fell from where they were crossed tensely over the other's broad chest in unconcealed surprise, the burly man beside him shifting awkwardly where he stood out in the darkened hallway.

When the Scotsman spoke again, his voice was quiet and hoarse.

"Akew.. saved ye?"

Suddenly unable to formulate an intelligent response, Jack merely nodded, his onyx gaze falling to the dark floor between them. He could almost feel his friend's palpable astonishment, could guess what the other was thinking, trying desperately to find a reason, practically any reason as to why the demon would act this way, would choose to spare the person who had nearly jeopardized his rule, who had freed so many people and nearly killed the tyrant himself on so many occasions..

Whichever way he himself tried to look at it, it simply failed to make sense.

Aku had saved him, had told this creature to spare him when it could've easily torn out his throat, could've used the fact that it had taken him by surprise, could've finally put an end to the human menace plaguing this world once and for all and gotten rid of at least one thing capable of actually killing the dark being.

The demon had knowingly made the choice to save his life.

Aku was supposed to be a selfish creature. Was supposed to be an opportunist, a coward, cruel and unfeeling. Was supposed to be manipulative and all-powerful. The thought that someone, anyone could ever break him, force him to bury such traits and overlook his own past actions was simply inconceivable. The idea that he would ever make the choice to save his greatest enemy over simply watching him die, inwardly rejoicing at the samurai's demise that he had waited and striven toward for so long - even more so. And yet…

"He did," the human said at last, voice barely more than a whisper. "He saved my life." 'When he could've simply let me die', the samurai added silently to himself.

Dragging a heavy hand down his face with a worn-out sigh, exhaustion sinking deep into his joints and becoming a heavy weight within his very heart, he leaned against the wooden doorframe behind him, his onyx gaze falling upon the demon's sleeping form once more.

From way over here he could just barely make out the slow rise and fall of Aku's covered chest, could glimpse the pearlescent glow of the bandages winding around a dark, bony shoulder where the pale moonlight managed to hit the white fabric at just the right angle, the smallest of twitches of his dull claws.

Despite his best efforts, Jack was again struck by the peace that had fallen over his reluctant companion, the utter serenity. There was no pain on the other's face then, no fear or overwhelming hurt, those green features no longer contorted in excruciating pain and emotional suffering or anger and hatred. There was nothing there, in fact, except for calm now and he couldn't help but feel just how odd that still was to him, how difficult to accept.

He's supposed to be a hateful creature..

But the reality was once again a stark contrast to his own expectations.

However, nothing he had used to believe or recently realized changed the fact that the former tyrant had almost died today and it was all his fault. If he had just listened, if he had stopped to think for once in his life instead of allowing himself to be led along a false path chosen by others and his own emotions… then maybe none of this would've ever happened. He could've made Aku hear him, could've figured out a way to come to a truce, perhaps even before he could be flung into the future, certainly well before he could spend twenty years in a hostile world that sought nothing else, but to eradicate him and before Aku could be hurt by it as well. If he had not allowed himself to be fooled into believing that nothing existed within the demon besides evil, if he had not reacted to violence with violence and tried to find another way to settle the differences between them…then all of this could have possibly been avoided. And neither of them would've ever had to suffer the horrific consequences of their own actions.

All he had had to do was listen, give up on his misconceptions.. And he had willingly chosen not to.

Unable to stand looking at the demon any longer, he left the bedroom doorway, returning to stand in the darkened, almost pitch black hall of his friend's home. Thankfully, the Scotsman didn't prompt him to continue, didn't ask him what was on his mind, understanding briefly flickering over his crude features as he, too, stepped fully out of the tiny room. And for that quiet aknowledgement of his emotional turmoil at least, Jack was grateful.

"I think it's best if we take shifts, laddie," the burly man whispered into his ear at last, glancing at the plum scaled reptile from the corner of his eyes, "I den't trust it alone with Akew jus' yet and ye need yer rest. Why den't ye go back to bed? I'll watch bothe o' 'em while ye sleep an' recuperate."

For the first time that night, the samurai allowed himself a small chuckle and an equally tiny smile.

"I thank you, friend, but that is quite unnecessary. I am quite capable of watching Aku for the rest of the night. You should return to your wife, she must be very shaken after this day's events."

"Oh, no, I insist. Me wife's made of tougha stuff than tha', she'll be fine. Ye, on the other hand, need ta get some sleep. Ye lewk like ye're bout te keel ove."

"Please, I implore you, I am perfectly fine. I do not wish to inconvenience you and your family any more than I already have."

"Ah, come off it. Ye arenae 'inconveniencing' anyun and ye've been putting up with tha'," the Scotsman jerked a thick thumb in the demon's direction, "fer a few weeks now. I think I can 'andle watchin' that suicidal git fer a few hours."

"No, I again thank you for your offer, but I will watch him."

"Nah, I will."

"No, I."

"I will watch 'im."

"With all due respect-"

A loud cracking sound of something slamming forcefully into the opposite wall interrupted their argument mid-sentence and they looked up, watching in astonishment and alarm as the creature's incredibly long tail slowly retreated from the now severely damaged wall, coiling back around the wooden bed and the long spikes adorning it gleaming eerily in the pale moonlight. Almost as if they hadn't embedded themselves deep into the dark wall mere seconds ago. Green eyes glared at them from the depths of the darkened room in reproach and anger, needle-like fangs just barely peaking out from beneath the reptile's top lip in a fierce growl.

"Holy shite," the man beside him muttered and Jack abruptly found himself sharing that sentiment, the two of them slowly backing away from the enraged creature, feeling oddly chastised and at the same time threatened.

Aku, thankfully, did not seem to hear their loud exchange, didn't even budge an inch or make a single sound where he lay upon the narrow bed, making them all sigh a breath of relief. Despite the creature's obvious displeasure and disdain, it would seem that they were far from loud enough to yank the demon out of his coma-like state. Even so, reluctant to upset it further and actually risk waking the injured being after all, Jack chose to finally relent to his friend's offer, just this once. Now that he really thought about it, he was exhausted and shaken from the recent events and Aku needed him as alert as possible if he ever were to help the disgraced lord. Even if there was little chance of him falling asleep again after everything that had happened here.

"I… will come to change shifts with you in a few hours," the warrior informed the man beside him who only waved a meaty hand in the air in a dismissive gesture, beady black eyes fixing themselves on the two guest room occupants once more.

"Take as much time as ye need, laddie. I got this."

Lingering hesitantly in the open doorway, Jack finally forced himself to leave, heading to his assigned room just down the hall, his thoughts jumbled and troubled.

As he had predicted, he did not sleep a wink again that night.

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

"And why should we change loyalties to you?"

The demon's deep voice growled and it took everything he had within him not to step away, that dark, reptilian muzzle now mere inches from his own face, yellow eyes forcefully meeting his.

"Aku may have used threats and lies to ensure our subordination, but that does not change the fact that he has supported our nation for many years, has provided us with a proper home and a chance to truly flourish and develop. You, on the other hand, put us in chains, enslaved us and resorted to physical force in order to keep us all in line. Tell me," Akita stepped closer, his voice now no more than a hiss as he towered over the shorter creature, forcing Nergui to crane his neck if he wanted to keep holding the other's gaze, "how are you any better than Aku?"

"I am willing to let you go."

The creature drew back, surprise and suspicion briefly flashing over its sharp features before becoming blank once more. A quiet murmur travelled through the numerous rows of the gathered crowd, many pairs of snake-like eyes zeroing in on his hunched form.

Even so, he did not back down, jaw setting in determination. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see Akua tense, the cat-like demon's ears perking up in an intrigued manner even as her turquoise markings flashed in wariness and alarm, her gaze flickering towards him. Yet, she remained mercifully silent. For now at least.

Nergui withheld a curse.

Out of everyone currently here, in this citadel, it was most likely Akua who would be able to see through his carefully-worded offers, read between the lines and figure out his true intentions before he could even begin to voice them. Although he had already destroyed any credibility that she might have had, the demons were still more likely to trust her word over his, courtesy of living and working with her for thousands of years. But... If he could just manage to sell this to Akita, then maybe it was not a lost cause after all.

However, convincing the reptilian demon of his peaceful intentions would be difficult as well. Given the history he had with the human race (at least, from what Nergui had been able to gather of it so far), he had been an avid participator in many skirmishes between the two species, always on the first lines, always leading his own kind against them.

Fooling him would not be easy, but the man had to try, no matter what. Their plans for this world depended on it.

A bitter laugh finally left the demon's broad chest, those yellow eyes flashing in suppressed anger and derision that he was no entirely able to hide, though he tried to.

"You are not as convincing as you believe yourself to be if you are expecting me to just believe that, human." The title was almost spit out rather than uttered, coated in disgust, hatred and anger. He couldn't say he was surprised by the obvious insult, or blamed the other for using his species as such. If anything, he had expected it, and was only grateful that the other was still willing to talk, that they did not yet come to a physical confrontation.

And now he had to keep it that way.

"My quarrel is with Aku. Not you, or your kind. If anything, you are innocent bystanders in our conflict, and for that, I am truly sorry."

A quiet rumble sounded around him again at those calm words, yellow eyes flashing in interest and lingering sorrow. Even though they had learned of their Master's true intentions and thoughts about his own subordinates, it did not immediately erase the close relationship they had developed over several thousand years with the disgraced demon, far from it in fact. But he now at least had a chance to put himself and his companions into a better light. And Nergui would be damned before he allowed himself to lose that opportunity.

"Aku may have destroyed my village all those years ago in greed, but you took no part in it. You were not the perpetrators, and so I do not have a problem with you. I see no reason as to why I should not let you go."

A scoff left Akita's throat, his powerful tail lashing in the stale air of the barracks that had been set up for him and his comrades, his sun yellow eyes flashing eerily in the semi-darkness and his golden chains glinting as he drew nearer still. "Khürel obviously does not believe so."

"Khürel overreacted to what was obviously mere, understandable frustration on your part and mistook it for an act of violence. I am truly sorry for the incident that had occurred and have offered Akua every resource known to me as well as my assistance in healing your comrade, even though my knowledge of medical spells might not be entirely on par with hers. I hope he is doing well?"

The cat-like demon merely bared her fangs at him as he glanced in her direction, still struggling to stay on her feet and leaning heavily against the stone wall for support. She was oddly ungrateful for someone he'd quite literally just saved from Erden's clutches. Even though the other man had had no real intentions of ever harming her.

"You think that's an excuse?!"

"No, but it is an explanation and an apology, and by far the only thing I can offer you for your companion's unfair injury." The man stated patiently, carefully controlling his temper. This was no time to become frustrated. It would only lead to anger in the end, and an argument that would only wind up turning into a fight and that was the last thing he needed now.

Yellow eyes flashed again, now no more than tiny fires of pure, hellish rage.

"Then why put us into chains? Why enslave us, keep us under your control against our will?" Akita growled and the man could tell that the other was doing his best to control himself as well even as the demon began to pace back and forth before him, his strong, pitch black tail lashing in the cold, somewhat stale air. "Why keep us as your personal slaves for over a year and offer us freedom only now? Why offer us freedom at all?"

"Because we needed to keep you out of the way," he answered truthfully, meeting the other's gaze without fear or hesitation. "You know as well as I do that you would've tried to help Aku any way you possibly could. We needed a way to keep you out of this for as long as possible. And now that he's dead and you have nothing left to fight for, have no chances of winning, I don't see why we should be prolonging and worsening your suffering."

"And yet you dragged us into your fight anyway, brought pain upon us regardless."

"We had no choice!" Nergui finally snapped, gunmetal gray eyes flashing in the semi-darkness of the citadel's barracks. "You understand that better than anyone else."

Something in the human's voice made the demon go still, carefully appraising the mortal now standing before him. Another quiet, puzzled murmur travelled through the gathered group. Even so, Nergui could hear the notes of disdain within the quiet whispers, the suspicion, anger and even hatred. An expected response to his words, but one he now had to utilize to get what he wanted.

Akita didn't fight him when he lifted his gaze to meet the other's eyes once more.

"Humans destroyed your homes," he said quietly, "slaughtered your children, nearly stole your very future away from you by driving you to the brink of extinction. Tell me, when Aku rose to power and you were suddenly under his protection, did you not do the same thing we did now? Did you not use that chance to get what you wanted?" He stepped forward until they were practically face to face, but neither of them backed away, both reluctant to lose this silent and at the same time verbal battle. "Did you not use that chance to get revenge?"

The demon's face remained emotionless, but he could see the turbulent feelings roiling within the golden depths of the other's eyes, the doubt that was just barely starting to seep in. Could all but sense the centuries old regret resurfacing once more.

"The emperor and his soldiers were not the only humans you slaughtered in cold blood, were they? In your anger, in your hatred you later went on to kill millions of innocents once you were done with the real perpetrators of your pain, desperate to avenge, longing to see them as hurt as you even though they had nothing to do with the injustice you had to put up with for so long."

Akita remained silent, they all did, but he could tell that they were listening intently now, carefully thinking his words over. He stole a glance at the medic's collapsed form. Akua's eyes were narrowed into slits, her ears held pressed against her skull and her jaw clenched so tight he worried that her fangs would crack beneath the pressure.

She knew where he was going with this, no doubt about it, knew how he was going to use this to his advantage. And yet... She wasn't doing anything, wasn't going to do anything. There was no defiance in her posture now, no will to fight, the only emotions left being those of humiliation, helpless anger and overwhelming grief.

Nergui knew then and there that Akua would not intervene, that she would never again put up a struggle against them. With Aku dead, her purpose stolen and her own kind successfully turned against her, she had nothing left for her now.

She was finished.

He turned back towards the demon still standing before him, meeting Akita's steely gaze once more.

"Aku destroyed my home," he stated, voice quiet and almost soft, just barely starting to crack. "Killed my people, my family. Just like the emperor nearly obliterated your future, so did Aku almost obliterate mine. But.. I am not going to make the same mistake you did all those years ago. I will not drag innocents into a fight that isn't theirs." He lifted his hand. The collar around Akita's neck suddenly darkened, a quiet sizzling noise filling the small barracks before the previously golden band finally fell away, falling to the stone floor with a loud clang, the cuffs around the demon's wrists soon following suit.

The reptilian like creature did not move an inch for a long time, staring almost dumbly at his now entirely bare wrists, shock filling his yellow gaze as he slowly looked up, staring in absolute astonishment and disbelief at the creature now standing opposite of him.

"So you are serious after all..," he murmured in the sudden silence that had fallen over the darkened chamber, and yet there was still obvious suspicion in those snake-like eyes, some lingering doubt and almost meek hesitation. "How do you know that I will not-"

"Attack me?" Nergui finished for him, something akin to a bitter smile just barely pulling at the corner of his lips. The dark creature nodded, still watching him carefully.

"It would be highly foolish on your part to do so, don't you think? If we were able to take Aku down, a being that, by all existing accounts, is far more powerful than all of you combined, what point would there be in attacking me? And.. something tells me that you understand this, realize this and are not about to risk the annihilation of your species over a futile cause. No matter how much you might want to."

He knew he was right, they all did. As much as they no doubt wanted to avenge their leader's death, it would simply be pointless. Of course, there undoubtedly would be those desperate to try anyway, mostly among the youngsters, but they would be held back by the rest. Despite their preference to live in solitude, demons were, surprisingly, quite a tightknit community.

"And what if we don't want to leave?" Another voice said and he looked up, meeting Akou's gaze head on. For a moment, he was struck by just how much the canine's disposition had changed since over the course of their.. conversation. Hadn't even known that someone could change so drastically so quickly. Although... That wasn't exactly true, was it? He was no stranger to grief and it's powerful effects by far.

When he remained silent, the demon continued anyway, voice cracking and broken, but determined nonetheless.

"Many of us found a home here. Some, if not most, were even born within these walls. This is our home, our village if you want to put it that way," Akou continued, unusually serious. Nergui kept waiting for the other to lunge at him, braced himself for the insults and accusations that the emotional creature would no doubt send his way. But there was nothing there now. No anger, no thirst for blood or vengeance. Just overwhelming grief and despair.

With Aku's death the battle between them had finally been settled. The humans had won, and even Akou was smart enough to realize that.

To say he was surprised, however, would be an understatement.

"Will you force us to leave our home as well?"

Silence fell upon the small barracks, the demons waiting patiently for his response, now talking between themselves, whispering, shooting him cautious looks.

Nergui looked up, meeting Akou's eyes once more.

"No," he said at last, sighing heavily, his hands shoving themselves deep into his pockets as he rocked back on his heels, carefully weighing his words. He'd expected this question, prepared for it, but actually answering it in a manner that both would satisfy them and perhaps even sway them to the their side was still quite difficult. "You do have the option to stay here, where you were born and raised. I have no right to take that away from you. But... you will be expected to agree to certain terms."

The demon's lip curled in derision. "You expect us to agree to serving you? Going to keep us in our chains if we refuse?"

"I expect you not to try and bring us harm," the human corrected, levelling the other with a stern look, "I expect you to continue fulfilling the duties that have been assigned to you just as if you were still under Aku's rule. I expect you not to try and attack us in an attempt to avenge your master. In return, we promise not to exact physical punishments, to allow you to live alongside us in peace and freedom. As for the chains, they will be removed today, regardless of your choice, but if you attempt to attack us, we will react with violence in kind. Sound fair?"

The gathered demons shared a look. A quiet murmur travelled through their ranks once more and he turned to go, allowing them to discuss his offer in detail amongst themselves. It was not a choice you made lightly, after all.

"I will give you time to think this over. Erden will come later to hear your decision and remove the chains."

None of them tried to stop him.

The hallway was just as dank and dimly lit as always when he stepped out and into it, his eyes having long since adjusted to the natural darkness that seemed to always hover over Aku's citadel.

Erden looked up from where he was leaning heavily against the stone wall, the golden claws strapped tightly around his fingertips glinting ominously as he idly played with them, icy blue eyes watching the meager light dance upon their polished surfaces. Nergui said nothing, not immediately, merely jerking his head in the general direction of the throne room and signaling for his friend to follow him, leaving the barracks far behind them.

As soon as they were out of possible earshot, Erden finally spoke up.

"You aren't going to let some of them just leave, are you?"

It wasn't a question.

"No," the other man said with a heavy sigh, an almost sad look briefly flickering over his exhausted face. "Even though they have no reason to continue to fight against us, we cannot afford letting some of them out into the world like that."

"What do you want me to do?"

For a single, split second, gray eyes met blue. "Kill them. As quickly and as quietly as possible. I expect there to be no survivors left, understand?"

Erden hummed an affirmative, a strangely musical sound, one of his many oddities that made him disturbing even to his friends and family.

"And the cat?"

"We'll watch her, for now. I expect that the others will deal with her themselves soon enough. Judging by Demongo's case, betrayal is not taken lightly among the demonic ranks."

A jagged smile spread across the younger man's face.

"Got it."


	13. Chapter 13

The human emperor had died during the night. A mere two days after his son's pathetic attempt to end the demon's life, two days after his spawn's send-off far into the distant future. Aku had no doubts that the version of him that was yet to come had already made quick work of the troublesome pest, had most likely killed him the very moment the other appeared in the distant world that he had yet to create. Seeing the samurai's father go in a similar, but far more gruesome fashion should've pleased him on some grand level, certainly should have been cause enough for a massive celebration, especially among the demonic ranks. And yet... When it really came down to it, the knowledge that the other was finally gone, finally wiped clean from this world did not bring him as much joy as it definitely should have.

The official reports from the creatures on the scene stated that the human had collapsed and perished as a result of a certain illness, one that would only centuries later be known as pneumonia, but the demon lord already knew that that wasn't true, that they were being purposefully misleading. Had ordered for them to be that way, in fact. Knew that someone was behind his old rival's death, that the human had been murdered, killed via exsanguination, his throat slit by none other than one of Aku's newly acquired and perhaps most valuable minions.

Akua herself.

To say he was shocked upon learning the news would be an understatement.

It simply did not seem... Like her to end someone's, anyone's life in spite of their past misdeeds. Especially not in such a brutal manner, no matter how quick it actually turned out to be in the end. Her decision to snuff the human's life did not appear to fall in line with all the characteristics she had presented him with so far, didn't sound like a crime that could be committed by a person of her caring nature. But, then again, perhaps he should've expected to see this crueler, colder side of her, should've even predicted its eventual demonstration.

After all, how could she have survived for so long without it?

He had instantly made sure to punish her for the unauthorized extermination, of course, but the disciplinary method he'd ended up using in the end could be called mild at best, and considered rather weak at worst. Aku knew that he had to send a message to the other demons now under his control, knew also that he had to make it clear that the executions of his human slaves without his express permission would not be tolerated- But unfortunately, both he and the cat-like being were only too aware of just how unstable his alliance with their kind still was, how flimsy of a connection he'd so far managed to craft between himself and their nation.

The overlord simply couldn't afford shattering the insignificant rapport that he'd struggled to build with them over the past decade, not yet at least. Not if he wanted their help, wished to conquer these lands quickly, with minimal delay in order to then move onward, bending the entire world to his will.

After all, demons were far more powerful than most of the mortal creatures inhabiting this rock of a planet. And, despite their low numbers, they could be found virtually anywhere. There were no habitats that they could not adapt to, no empty lands that they would knowingly choose to avoid besides perhaps the wasteland from which he himself had risen over eight years ago now. They could easily put up a struggle against him for months on end if they ever did decide to join together and, though he would undoubtedly win that fight in the end, it would put all of his current plans and projects on an indefinite hold.

And Aku was certainly not the most patient of creatures.

The fact of the matter was rather simple. He needed Akua to solidify this agreement between them, needed her to sway even more powerful beings such as demons to his side. As loath as he certainly was to admit it and as happy as he would undoubtedly be to snuff her life force and end her miserable existence once and for all, he could not kill her as punishment for the Emperor's death. Not yet anyway. Not until the others had learned to fully accept him as their lord and master.

But... As time slowly trickled by and his power over the vast lands only strengthened, Aku soon began to realize something else as well. Contrary even to his own expectations, Akua's value as a mediator was by far not the only reason keeping him from harming her, allowing her to live, however much he'd like to state otherwise...

Truth be told, Aku did not.. resent her for the human's death as much as he thought he would, did not really, honestly hold it against her. Could not force himself to be even more ill-disposed towards her than he already was.

When he actually stopped to think about it, some part of him was convinced that she had deserved this kill, perhaps even more so than he had.. Had had the right to slaughter the person who had oppressed her and her fellow creatures for so long.

Ultimately, she had been forced to put up with the human for much longer than Aku himself had. Twenty years in fact. And though she had given him a brief history of her life before their acquaintance, he knew that there were a lot of details that Akua was still holding back, instances that had played a monumental role in turning her into the demon that she was now, but ones that she refused to tell him.

As much as Aku wished to say that it was he who had suffered at the human's hand the most, he knew that his experiences were nothing compared to hers, to Akita's and all the others now under his rule.

The demon lord sometimes had to wonder if perhaps he should be more enraged by the Emperor's demise than he actually was, or at least try to be. It would be an expected reaction from someone as egotistical as him after all, given the fact that the human was his prey to begin with, his to kill after every wrongdoing the other had committed against him personally. Attacking him after accidentally setting him free, slashing him with that accursed sword, trapping him in an empty wasteland and promptly abandoning him...

It was his right to slaughter the human in any manner that he so desired, after sufficiently crushing him psychologically as well as physically that is. He had even gone ahead and already made plans for it to be public, prepared a speech and a long, excruciating death followed by a celebration, and-... Akua had ruined all of that for him with her own selfish desires of revenge, of getting even. It shouldn't matter to Aku what she had been put through by the other, what she had been forced to suffer. The only person that truly mattered to him was himself and he shouldn't be at all concerned with her past traumas.

And yet...even so, for some odd, confusing reason, he still found himself almost.. willing to forgive her this murder. Almost. Just this once.

It would be years before he fully understood why.

Their alliance was quite rocky the first few decades after the human empire's fall, even Aku could admit that. Despite her painfully blunt, yet strangely soft-spoken nature Akua had soon begun to demonstrate her open wariness of him, never speaking with him unless spoken to, avoiding him unless directly summoned. As if unsure of where they now stood in terms of their relationship. As if afraid of jeopardizing the fragile balance of the agreement between them.

She hid it well enough, this palpable caution of hers, he'd give her that much at least, but to his own astonishment, Aku soon found that sort of behavior somewhat.. frustrating, to say the least. Infuriating even.

Though he would never willingly admit it, he'd.. honestly enjoyed their quiet conversations during his imprisonment in that gnarly tree. Had learned to value the easy camaraderie and understanding that they'd mutually shared once, qualities that now seemed to be void from their interactions, were suddenly gone.

Akua was the first and by far only creature who had ever approached him without fear, without hate and immediate threat of violence. Had been the only being to show honest to god amusement during their interactions, successfully confusing and throwing him off balance like none other as he instantly scrambled to figure out what he had said exactly that turned out to be so funny in the end, rather than threatening and menacing as he'd initially intended it to.

It frustrated and enraged him at first, this strange impudence of hers, the apparent lack of natural fear and awe towards his presence. But now that it was gone.. Aku began to realize just how much he missed it, just how much he longed to see and hear it once again.

That particular realization only served to anger him even more.

Somewhere deep, deep down, Aku recognized that he had simply gotten used to her company, had just gotten accustomed to seeing and speaking with her on an almost daily basis. Had grown attached to the cat-like demon and her bizarre treatment of him, like he wasn't someone a hundred times stronger than her, and was instead just another normal demonic being. Had begun to actually value and bother himself with concerns of her continued existence. Especially when he started his invasion into the neighboring lands.

If he was ever tasked with pinpointing the exact moment during which their relationship had changed, Aku would probably say that the turning point in their new alliance became the second he'd decided to lunge in front of her to shield her from an incoming blast of human magic. One that could not bring him any harm besides a slight ache, but one that could definitely prove potentially fatal for the much, much weaker creature.

He remembered that he'd hissed in pain back then, supported the arm that had taken the majority of the blow and incinerated the pathetic mortal with his laser eye beams, soon turning with an awful creak and whine of rotting wood in order to inspect the well-being of the demon he'd just saved.. who was now staring up at him, mouth open, gaping, her snake-like yellow eyes almost painfully wide.

Only then did it truly click for him, the full weight of what he'd done automatically, practically without thinking.

Aku had knowingly saved her life.. But not at all for the reasons that he had expected. Not because of her value as a link between himself and the demonic minions. Not because of her ability to recruit others to his cause. Not even because of her acquired understanding and intimate knowledge of demonic medicine.

If anything, he'd saved her out of gratitude first and foremost.

Though he would never willingly admit it, the eight years he'd spent trapped in that tree had been nothing but utter hell for him, had perhaps been the most terrifying period of his entire life. The transition between being able to move, to express emotion, to use his dark magic and being suddenly robbed of all the things that made Aku, well, Aku had been excruciating, nerve-wracking. Even for someone like him. Especially for someone like him.

The sudden loneliness that had befallen upon him almost a mere few days later had somehow turned out to be even worse. To the point that he had even begun to hope that one of those days the Emperor would show up again, the demon becoming increasingly more desperate to hear someone else's voice besides his own, regardless of the meaning behind the spoken words.

Aku had found himself suddenly willing to listen to anything, including scorn, if it meant not being abandoned, discarded.. Forgotten.

And then, as if answering his unspoken pleas, this creature, this being had appeared before him, yellow eyes bright and curious and its sharp claws tapping gently against his roots, the dark magic, so similar to his own yet so cardinally different, brushing almost gently against his...

Almost as if it were reaching out to him. Calling. Trying to communicate.

Akua had not abandoned him after learning the truth about who and what he was. Had not forsaken him for being a creature born of supposed darkness, something that was far beyond his control. Had not attacked him because she understood better than anyone else what it was like to be someone like him, how it felt to be feared for having powers that surpassed perhaps any mortal creature's in this world.

Knew how it felt to be hated and rejected for just simply being you.

She came to him that same evening, in fact, after the battle had finally been won, but Aku shot her down before she could even begin to express her gratitude. He didn't need it, didn't want it, and frankly was too ashamed and angry with himself for giving into his emotions so easily in the first place to readily accept it.

After all, he had just basically admitted his attachment to her... Enough to actually go ahead and save her life when he virtually had no real reason to.

The demon had displayed a weakness to her that day, and he would be a fool not to expect it to be exploited, used to Akua's best advantage as no one could really, truly ever care for him, one look at his towering form more than enough to incite fear and hatred within their hearts.

His experience with the human Emperor had taught Aku that much at least.

But.. Akua did not leave as he had expected her to in the wake of his growled threat, did not react with equal hostility and rage, and what the cat-like demon did next.. would probably stick with him for centuries to come.

She sang to him.

It wasn't an outright song and yet wasn't a speech either. It wasn't pretty, at least not to human ears, a mere, seemingly uncoordinated mess of gutteral sounds such as low growls, soft purrs and periodic clicks of sharp fangs brushing gently against each other, but it was undeniably a melody of sorts nonetheless. A wordless language. A message. One that was universally understood by demons everywhere, all over this pathetic world, even by those who had been raised far from demonic civilizations.

Such as Aku himself.

It was a tune usually shared between a mother and her offspring during a particularly dark and troubled night when little bodies would curl against a much larger form, seeking their parent's heartbeat and comfort. A silent promise of their carer's endless love and support, of her commitment to the tiny lives now hiding against her warm chest and fervent vows to defend them with every inch of her being.

And it could not be forced or faked.

The statement behind her action was very simple.

Akua truly cared for him, saw him as one of her own and somewhere down the line even began to view him as.. family. Something that Aku had never hoped or even imagined being able to have, being an actual part of and had always dismissed as a weakness. As something that should be loathed. Disregarded. Hated.. And yet, here she was, offering him a place within it. Promising him that she would always be there for him, regardless of his choice of either joining it, or rejecting it by going back to their already established professional distance, their routine.

And Aku chose to accept it.

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

The reddish brown hardwood floor creaked and whined unpleasantly beneath his weight as Jack leaned heavily back against the dark wall behind him, a soft, exhausted sigh escaping his weathered lips as he watched the woman work in comfortable, yet at the same time awed, silence.

Several days had passed since Aku's.. attempt to take his own life. Several quiet days had passed, drenched in worry and uncertainty, of constant check-ups to make sure that the demon hadn't flatlined on them again, of taking shifts and watching their newest visitor interact with the unconscious being, gauging its threat level. Not that it made their task any easier by its continuous hostile behavior towards them. The samurai was ashamed to admit it, but even he himself was already at the end of his wits with it, frustration and something awfully akin to resentment growing and roiling bitterly within his gi clad chest, far beyond his control.

He wanted it to trust them, to allow them to help. Longed to truly understand it, to know just what and who it was as well as where it had come from. But all of his approaches were met with complete, stubborn and infuriating standoffishness. With hostility and hatred that seemed to be evoked by his mere presence alone rather than any specific words or deeds.

The reptile had barely moved from its place at Aku's side since the night of its arrival, only occasionally springing to the floor and pacing around the small room to stretch its legs, its almost abnormally long tail coiling around one of its arms, almost like a handbag of sorts, in order not to be a hindrance to its movements. An action that the Scotsman himself, Dearg, as he'd recently learned the other was named, found particularly amusing, beady black eyes twinkling in unconcealed mirth despite the burning glare of their unknown guest being sent his way each time.

The samurai was reluctant to admit it, but he was somewhat irked by the way the humor of their situation still somehow managed to evade him. Especially when it appeared that the plum scaled creature was in on the joke as well.

Over the course of the next few days it quickly became obvious that the reptilian being would not leave the demon's side under any circumstances, even starvation. All attempts to communicate with it were coldly disregarded, the triangular muzzle turning away from them after a few minutes into their latest speech, or, on some rare occasions, before they could even begin to say anything at all.

Alhough they had quietly agreed amongst themselves that it was most likely a strange pet of sorts to the injured lord, like an alien dog as a perhaps closest comparison to it, it still baffled Jack to see the almost human expressions flicker periodically over that reptilian face. To witness the absolute boredom, utter disdain or, in some very, very rare cases, even amusement whenever his companion became particularly frustrated with their lack of progress. Such moments made him truly wonder if perhaps their guest was not at all what it appeared to be, that it was purposefully hiding something, including its own intelligence, from them. But what? And, more importantly, why?

Leaving food for it quickly turned out to be a frustrating affair as well. Through trial and error with no pointers or help offered from the very creature they were trying to keep alive (none of them wanted to be the ones to explain to Aku why they had allowed his pet to starve to death while he was unconscious), they soon learned that anything cooked was apparently the equivalent of a personal insult to the scaled creature. And also reason enough to redecorate the floors and walls of the narrow hallway in the same colors and mush as that of the offered meal.

Jack swore that the Haggis incident would haunt him to the end of his days.

Even so, their patience and efforts did not appear to be all in vain. As they continued to avoid any hostile actions and cared for the two beings as best as they could, the reptile began to gradually relax, allowing them to approach and tend to Aku after explaining and describing their actions in thorough detail (even though they doubted it fully understood them), and steadily bringing its warning growls and snarls to a minimum.

They, in turn, extended their own olive branch by stopping taking shifts after concluding that it meant no harm to either the three of them or the injured demon, allowing it a few hours of peace and quiet with its unconscious master. Though, Jack still found himself more often than not being only able to truly fall asleep next to the former tyrant's door, ready to jump in and attend to him at a moment's notice.

Aku's lifeless form lying still and unresponsive in his bloodied arms still haunted his dreams.

They all avoided talking about that night. Jack, Dearg, his wife Ailith.. Avoided discussing what had preceded it. The samurai himself made no efforts to prompt such conversations, didn't look forward to them even though he knew that they needed to be held eventually. Knew that they had to discuss what had happened, what Aku had gone through and, more importantly, where they were to go from here.

He understood better than anyone else how difficult it would be for the Scotsman and his spouse to come to terms with their current.. situation, with the demon's sudden change in character. Perhaps even more so than him. Each of them had been born into Aku's tyranny, had grown up under his rule. Had suffered for many years by being forced to constantly fend off his beetle drones and hide their own home behind powerful spells, afraid of anyone accidentally stumbling upon it, whether friend or foe. He'd himself barely felt Aku's influence while growing up and training in other lands and only ever truly experienced it after finding himself stranded in the distant future.

Being forced to adapt to the demon's despotism and actually being born into it were two very different things, after all.

Yet.. in spite of everything Aku had done to their family beforehand, in spite of everything they had been forced to endure up until now, Jack knew with utmost certainty that his friends would make the right decision in the end. Knew that they, unlike anyone else, would be able to see the bigger picture, would look past the atrocities the other had committed and help the two of them willingly, from the bottom of their very hearts.

Because, at the end of the day, they were good people. Born into a cruel, dark world and yet somehow possessing the strength to remain as pure and as kind as any soul brought up in times of peace and utter serenity.

Jack was sure of it.

The sound of quiet footsteps ringing in his ears broke him out of the deep thoughts he'd unwittingly lost himself within and he quickly looked up, onyx eyes meeting the woman's equally dark gaze.

Only recently had he begun to fully realize what the Scotsman had been trying to tell him all these years when talking about his wife's beauty. Most of it wasn't present in her appearance itself, that much remained true (despite the other's fervent insistence otherwise, but Jack was willing to admit that they had very different definitions of the word 'beauty'), but, as he soon found out, was more evident in her disposition itself rather than anything else.

In spite of her quick temper and general hot headedness, the samurai knew that he had yet to meet a kinder, more understanding and loving person than the one now standing before him. While her husband was more willing to settle disagreements through contest, Ailith was surprisingly far softer, far more peaceful, preferring to talk and listen to what the other person had to say and exhausting every other option out there before resorting to violence. Unless she was insulted, of course.

She also seemed to possess this.. unique ability, this motherly instinct that seemed to tell her exactly what to do whenever someone needed her support, be it her spouse, her children or her guests. She understood people, as well as their emotions. Knew what to say and how to empathize with them. Truly cared for all of those who surrounded her. Even if it was a former enemy. And this exact kindness, this unconditional love was what ultimately drew people to her, was where her true beauty lay. And it didn't take long for Jack to learn to appreciate it, to be genuinely grateful for her continued support even if he didn't always believe that he truly deserved it.

Not after all the mistakes he'd made, many of which had resulted in the pain of so many people, had led them to the situation that they found themselves in now.

"How did you accomplish that?" He couldn't stop himself from asking the moment the door clicked softly shut behind her, onyx eyes boring into warm, honey brown. "I.. had assumed that it would give you more trouble than.. well, that."

The woman laughed, Jack did his best to hide the embarrassed flush creeping up his neck. The creature still hadn't allowed him to get anywhere near Aku, much less change his bandages. Had snarled and glared at him the whole time he was inside the tiny guest room and had nearly lunged at him the moment he tried to approach the narrow bed.

He was not welcome there.

And yet, the Scotsman's wife was met with an entirely different reaction, one that could almost be perceived as borderline friendly, in fact. Certainly be classified as less hostile.

The creature had still reacted to her presence with obvious wariness of course. Had tensed where it lay tightly curled against Aku's side, the long spikes adorning its tail twitching, the fan all but unfolding in preparation of defending both itself and the demon it was trying to shield. But it had allowed the woman to approach regardless, had permitted her to tend to the unconscious being. Hadn't done so much as flash it's fangs once during the entire process, merely watching the other work through narrowed eyes.

Jack hadn't been allowed to do that. Even the Scotsman himself hadn't been allowed to do that.

And yet, there was something in Ailith's behavior, in her very character and nature that evoked something akin to.. trust within the scaled creature, prompted it to accept the woman's help. Something that had even been enough to allow the other to check her for any injuries as well, willingly baring the shallow gash left from Jack's sword. One he'd completely forgotten he'd dealt it during their struggle and yet somehow still failed to feel responsible for.

The fact that it had attacked him first and its recent behavior were major contributors to that.

Ailith smiled.

"Ye just need te more confident with it, lad. Ye arenae gunna get any good results by tiptoein' 'round it like a frightened lamb." He couldn't stop himself from frowning at the distasteful comparison, chest involuntarily puffing up in indignation at the mere suggestion of being perceived as cowardly.

The woman only chuckled at that, ruffling his hair as she passed him by and nearly sending him to his knees with the mere weight of her hand upon his skull, the samurai quickly, yet politely stepping away and adjusting his chonmage.

"I was not tiptoeing..."

The Scotsman's wife shot him a knowing look. Jack opted to quickly change the subject.

"How is-?" He couldn't continue that sentence, couldn't force himself to finish it, trailing off and crossing his arms tightly over his chest, onyx eyes dropping to the floor.

A heavy sigh left Ailith's lips, a faint glimmer of sadness flashing briefly within the dark depths of her gaze.

"It's as we hae feared. Despite our best efforts, he's git an infection. Naethin' we're daein' is helping him sae far.. We're hoping that one o' our spells wull help eventually, bit ah dinnae raelly think any o' them wull. One thing's clear though, if we dinnae fin' a wey te beat it soon, he's nae gunna survive the week."

From the corner of his eyes, Jack thought he saw the mahogany door to the bedroom crack open. Thought he'd seen a flash of brilliant emerald, a glimpse of a familiar dull shine of plum colored scales, but couldn't truly focus on it, breath hitching in his chest and pale fingers clenching tightly around his arms, overwhelming fear and horror and grief already wrapping their cruel claws around his heart.

When he spoke again, his voice was quiet.

"Is there.. anything I can do?" There had to be something. Something that he could fetch, perhaps even someone that he could talk to. He couldn't just sit back and watch the demon die! He couldn't! There had to be something..!

A soft hand grasped him gently by the shoulder and he reluctantly looked up, onyx eyes meeting brown.

"Ah kneow that this is hard fur ye, laddie, but ye've raelly already dane everything ye possibly could. Whither te live or te die is entirely up te Akew now an' all we can dae is hope that he's streng enough te pull through on 'is oen."

He knew she was right, of course she was. Realized that there was nothing else that they could really do for the other, but couldn't stop the guilt from welling within his chest regardless of the knowledge, couldn't squash the utter pain consuming him.

Even though he desperately longed to remain by the demon's door, just in case the other would require his help, Jack didn't resist her as the woman gently tugged him along, slowly guiding him down the warmly lit hallway and away from the small guest room, leaving the injured being and his unknown guardian behind. Didn't fight her efforts to distract him even as worry ate away at his heart, his thoughts inevitably straying and swirling around Aku's state and continued survival.

For a single, split-second, the samurai thought he'd heard the door quietly creak open behind them. Thought he'd caught the faint sounds of claws scrabbling lightly against the wooden floorboards and something heavy sliding across them- But when he looked back, the hallway was just as still and empty as they had left it, sunlight pouring through the large windows and flooding the space in a warm, golden glow.

There was no one else in sight.

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

"Mya? Is something wrong?"

Through sheer force of will the young woman forced herself to look up, dull, seemingly lifeless blue eyes falling in a listless stare upon the disheveled looking newcomer now standing there before her, watching her from the depths of the apartment with visible concern.

David hesitated where he stood in the open doorway, an apparently long forgotten grocery bag still clutched tightly in his strong arms, his hair as messy as always and the same rectangular glasses kept precariously perched upon the tip of his nose. Funny. She thought he would've gotten rid of them a long time ago now, considering the multitude of different gadgets available for vision enhancement as well as surgery. But... for some unknown, sentimental reason he still insisted on keeping them even though they could easily afford to have them disposed of, continued to hang onto them even though they could easily pay for an eye procedure with the high paying jobs that.. that Aku had provided them with.

Her hands clenched tightly into fists in a vicious spasm and she hissed out the breath she'd unknowingly been holding back through clenched teeth, slamming her hand forcefully against the smooth surface of the table, no longer able to contain her rampant emotions and finding herself utterly helpless in the face of the hurt slowly wrapping it's cold claws around her heart, consuming and destroying her from within.

She shouldn't care for him, Mya knew that. Shouldn't feel attached to him, shouldn't even be able to feel sorry for him in the first place. Just because the demon had been good to the two of them did not magically erase all the atrocities he had committed over the years, did not take away the pain and suffering he had inflicted upon so many people. And yet…

The image of the broadcast flashed before her ocean blue eyes once more, of Aku so hurt, so thin, so utterly shattered, his form no longer regal and wrapped in magical chains, one of his horns missing from its usual spot, faint tears dripping down his green face and his eyes… his eyes filled with so much terror, so much uncontrollable anguish.

Mya could not remember ever seeing him like that, had never witnessed him in such a state before. Never. Not once during his many visits over the years to see her and David. Not once during the two decades he'd spent supporting them.

Ever since his meeting with all the children of the world, Aku had kept them company, had told them stories (with the purpose of defaming the samurai, naturally, but that was currently beside the point). He'd been there for them when they had graduated, had been there for them when they earned their degrees. He had been the one to provide them with their job opportunities, in fact, with Mya now overseeing interplanetary communications along with Akita, and David steadily climbing the ranks until he was the head of the engineering department.

For all of his many faults and crimes, the demon had always been there for them. No matter what. And when he had been the one who needed help, when he was in a desperate need of their support, they themselves were suddenly nowhere to be found.

"This is about Aku, isn't it?"

The woman didn't need to look up to know that David had settled into the seat opposite of her, the screech of a heavy chair sliding against a tiled kitchenette floor more than enough evidence to inform her of her husband's movements, long, slightly calloused hands grasping her own into a gentle hold, dark eyes searching hers.

Her head dipped in a shallow nod and the man let out a heavy, exhausted sigh, leaning back where he now sat at their dinner table, his thumbs brushing gentle, soothing circles into her pale skin. "Mya, you know there's nothing we could've possibly done to help him.."

"Couldn't we have?" She found herself blurting out against her will, her voice barely more than a whisper yet still somehow managing to be deafening in the sudden quiet that had fallen upon their large apartment, pale fingers playing almost absentmindedly with the pen she still held within her hands, rolling it over between her fingertips until she could see the red letters spelling out Aku's name. Silent tears slowly gathered in her sapphire eyes.

"Of course not!" David said firmly, taking the accursed pen from his wife's shaking grasp and quickly setting it aside, palpable worry flashing briefly within his gaze.

"If Aku himself could not defeat them, what hope did we have to fight against them? You've seen what they can do, what those people are truly capable of! Even Akua and the other demons were helpless against their magic! Besides… We've both known for a long time that Aku had it coming to him. It was only a matter of time before-"

Mya forcefully wrenched her hands out of his.

"Before what, David?!" She hissed in sudden, absolute fury, her dark blue eyes flashing in the semi-darkness of the evening shadows that had by now successfully fallen over their home. "Before someone hurt him? Before someone tortured him? Before someone destroyed him physically and mentally and then sent the entire population of the planet after his hide?! Is that what you meant to tell me?!"

Her husband reluctantly looked away from her fiery gaze, dragging a heavy hand down his face and then nervously ruffling his own dark brown hair, a nervous habit he'd picked up growing up that only surfaced whenever he was feeling particularly uncomfortable during their conversations.

The woman struggled to push down the bitter sensation of guilt that almost instantly pooled within her chest at the sight.

"Aku hurt a lot of people, Mya," he said quietly at last, his eyes falling to the smooth table surface between them, "someone was bound to push back eventually. You know that."

And she did, she really did. Even so, the knowledge failed to squash the overwhelming feelings of guilt and shame and grief crushing her from within.

Soft fingers wrapped around her clenched fists once more, a tender thumb brushing in featherlight touches over her knuckles and she reluctantly looked up, meeting the man's somber gaze.

"There's nothing we could have done to stop it..."

The chair screeched unpleasantly against the polished stone tiles as David finally stood up, slowly walking around the kitchen table and pulling her into his warm embrace, long, coarse fingers lacing softly with hers. Desperate for some form of comfort in her moment of inner turmoil, she didn't resist him, instead choosing to lean into the loving touch, a soft sigh escaping her parted lips.

"I know..."

But knowing the truth failed to make the pain go away.

A series of hard knocks on the front door broke them out of the comfortable silence that had fallen between them and the two instantly looked up, sharing a startled look, brows furrowing in nearly identical confused frowns.

"Are you expecting someone, My?"

"No... You?"

"No..."

Leaving her side with a last comforting squeeze to her shoulder, David approached the closed door, taking a few seconds to listen carefully to what was going on outside, fingers tightening almost imperceptibly around the hidden holster of his gun, before opening it with a rough jerk, baring the towering form of the creature now standing on the other side.

A sharp, shock-filled gasp left the woman's lips.

"Akita."

The reptilian demon bared his long fangs in a toothy grin that resembled an agonized grimace more than it did anything else, a few large drops of obsidian blood trickling sluggishly between his sharp claws and staining the polished floor beneath him.

"Mya.. Mind if I come in?"

Notes:

Finished reading the comics recently. I just haaad to incorporate the two kids Aku spent his time telling stories to. I don't know, I just really liked the idea


	14. Chapter 14

The human had barely left the crowded room, when the barracks suddenly exploded with booming, resonant and utterly ear-shattering noise.

Demons of all types, ages and species, big and small, young and old, canine, feline, reptilian and others - all of them instantly began to whisper amongst themselves as one, all of them virtually buzzing from head to toe with terror and excitement. Terror of the unknown, of the uncertainty of their fate. Excitement and jubilation at finally being free of the accursed bonds keeping them captive, of being allowed to leave, to have the chance of perhaps even finding a place where they would no longer be forced to serve, to obey another. No more. They had long since had enough of being subservient to those who did not really deserve their loyalty, did not truly care for their well-being and in the end only sought to profit off of their hard labor.

Even if one of those former so-called masters had actually helped them build and achieve most of what they had thus far.

There were also of course those, mostly among the younger generations, who did not quite welcome the prospect of leaving. Far from it, in fact. Dreaded the possible relocation instead as they were simply too attached to the citadel in which they had been born in, too accustomed to the easy lifestyle being so readily provided to them to just abandon it on a whim, as well as the protection the fortress's walls offered from the dangers and hatred undoubtedly waiting for them outside.

Many of them had committed atrocities in Aku's name, after all. Whether it was tracking down unauthorized landings and bringing the unwanted visitors to the tyrant himself, locating new planets rich in resources, or something else, a lot of them had blood on their claws, as well as injustices and cases of utter cruelty forever attached to their names. If they left the protection of the castle now, they would only be hunted down by those they had wronged and there was simply no denying it, no real running from it.

And those guilty demons were being perhaps the loudest.

By the time Satina had managed to regain some of her senses after the recent revelations, Akita was already gone from the room, several of his fellow colleagues, whom she did not personally know or care to learn of, in tow. It would seem that only a fraction of Aku's former demonic minions had mustered up the courage to finally, actually leave, to truly abandon the place in which they had lived in for so many centuries and instead return to their wild life styles, preferring to take their chances out in a world that hated them rather than be forced to work for the same people who had lead to Aku's untimely demise.

Despite her best efforts, she couldn't say she really blamed Akita for doing so, even if she did not entirely agree with his choice. She would've probably done the same had she been in his place. She had been in his place, however briefly. Satina could potentially understand why they would wish to leave the first chance they were given, even if she suspected that they wouldn't be let go so easily.

Trusting the human's word without question was a grave mistake that none of them really wished to make. Not now, not ever.

Akou still hadn't budged from his spot, jaw held tightly clenched and golden gaze unreadable. Even calling his name and nudging the frozen youngster yielded little to no results, the canine demon watching the open doorway through which one of their human captors had left a measly ten minutes ago. Even so, the disorder surrounding them now did not seem to be lessening in the least with the passage of time, on the contrary, the ensuing chaos seemed to be only the beginning as the discussions appeared to become increasingly more confrontational with each passing second, fangs and snake-like eyes flashing in the almost pitch black darkness as the demons snarled angrily at each other, all of them scared out of their minds, all of them unsure of what to do.

It was no longer a question of if a fight would break out. It was a question of when.

With Akita and any other demon of relative seniority gone, only Akua truly stood a chance of bringing some order back amongst their distressed colleagues, calming them before things could get way out of hand. The reptile was sure of it. But when she actually took the time to look around, the felidae was now nowhere to be found, the spot by the wall now void of the lanky, yet still somehow graceful form.

Brow ridges furrowing in confusion and rising worry, Satina scanned the crowd surrounding her, poison green eyes flitting from one towering shape to another, but even so she still failed to spot the familiar markings unique to each demon (much like a fingerprint was to a human), or hear that distinctive contralto of the medic's heavily accented voice. It didn't take long for the terrifying realization to finally set in for her, and when it finally did, Aku's former assistant barely managed to keep herself from stumbling, a plum colored hand reaching out and desperately grasping at the dark stone wall behind her, successfully stopping her from collapsing right then and there.

Akua was gone from the room entirely.

A low growl rumbled through Akou's chest, barely audible over the reverberating cacophony of noise now filling the small barracks and Satina looked up, watching in shock and astonishment as the demon suddenly and sharply spun around on his heel, stalking back into the depths of the darkened chamber and soon disappearing within the thick throng of the gathered crowd.

"Akou?"

Unwilling to lose sight of perhaps the only friend and ally she still had around here, the reptilian alien quickly sprinted after the much larger creature, using her small stature to her advantage by easily slipping between various bodies, eyes never straying from the wolf-like form ahead of her.

"Akou, where are you going?"

Even though she knew that the other had probably heard her over the deafening noise of the crowd surrounding them (largely thanks to his superior hearing), she wasn't at all surprised when she received no response from the other creature, even as a frustrated and irritated huff left her pursed lips.

Thankfully, the other demons seemed far too busy with their own problems to actually bring themselves to pay attention to the two of them.

Veering sharply to the right once they reached the very back of the cramped room, the canine demon and the reptile trailing behind him slipped into an even tinier space than the barracks that they had just vacated, equally as dark and reeking heavily of herbs, disinfectant, infection and medication. If Satina didn't know that they were currently on the opposite side of the medical wing of Aku's citadel, she would've undoubtedly presumed that they'd now entered those particular facilities. And thus, it didn't take her all that long to figure out where they now stood.

This had to be the temporary emergency room Akua had set up after the humans' vicious take over.

"What the hell, Akua?!" The younger demon exploded the minute he stepped fully into the cramped space, yellow eyes glowing eerily in the semi-darkness of the castle in his overwhelming fury.

To her credit, the cat like demon didn't even flinch at the sudden snarl, even though it had obviously taken her by surprise. Didn't so much as twitch in shock at the sudden shout, lean body merely tilting gracefully to the side in a silent acknowledgement of their presence.

Something flashed over her felinoid face then. Something bitter, something sad, but it was there and gone within moments, far before the reptile could even hope to properly identify the exact emotion she'd actually seen, the taller demon seeming to withdraw into herself the moment they stepped fully into the otherwise empty room.

When the medic finally chose to speak up, her voice was calm and even, obviously kept under careful control as she greeted the being violently confronting her now.

"Akou."

"Don't 'Akou' me!" A heavy thud and rustle of stacked papers suddenly sliding against smooth stone sounded throughout the confines of the tiny room as dark claws slammed forcefully against one of the tables pushed up against the wall, sending several piles of documents crashing to the floor and nearly upending the few flasks that were stashed next to them. Most of them contained what appeared to be blood samples. Others held within them liquids that Satina did not immediately recognize.

A shadow of a grimace flashed briefly over those feline features at the sight of the new mess.

"Are you gonna explain to me what the hell was that back there?!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," the medic intoned, kneeling down to the dusty floor and picking up the fallen pieces of paper, carefully setting them back on the counter behind her. Not that there was enough space back there to begin with.

Despite the cool, controlled and collected exterior facing them now, however, the reptile still didn't quite miss the sharp twitch of torn ears, the quick flare of turquoise markings or the faint sneer ghosting briefly over the corner of those dark lips.

Akou's teeth bared in a vicious snarl.

"Oh, don't even try to give me that shit. You know exactly what I'm getting at." Akua's eyes narrowed into tiny slits of visible frustration and building anger.

"Very well then... If you really must ask, first explain to me, Akou, even if I had continued to fight against that human just now, what would have been the point of it? What could I have possibly achieved by struggling uselessly against him, huh? Why don't you enlighten me on that? Because, personally, I'm having a little trouble figuring out how it would've changed anything about our current predicament. Except perhaps only serve to worsen it. "

The younger being jerked back in shock at the heated retort almost as if he'd been smacked, lips twitching all but spasmodically over his long fangs in visible surprise and indignation, yellow eyes going wide. "The point...? The point is that we keep fighting! That we don't just give up! We have to push back against these.. these slavers, these monsters and reclaim what is rightfully ours! That's by far the only point of importance here, Akua!"

"For what purpose?!" The medic finally snapped, her patience swiftly wearing thin as she suddenly stalked forward until she was practically towering over the shorter demon, baring her sharpened teeth at him in her own rendition of a vicious snarl.

"Aku is dead. Our people are divided and everything we've built over the last several centuries has long since gone up in flames. Tell me, Akou, what do we have left actually worth fighting for?! Because as far as I can see it, we've been brutalized, beaten, and all but decimated. Submitting ourselves to the humans is the only way we can even hope to survive now. Why throw that measly chance in the gutter for a hopeless cause that we have no chance of ever achieving?!"

"You're giving up," Akou whispered with barely audible horror, realization finally taking hold as he took a small step back and away from his distressed comrade. Betrayal, cold and bitter, seemed to roll off his form in waves. "You can't be seriously considering... You can't just give up! We have to fight back, Akua!"

But even with the strong conviction and desperation now openly coating his voice, he was merely waved off, the feline-like creature demonstratively turning her back on the two of them and returning to the meager remains of her work.

"I can, and I am. You are entirely welcome to throw your life away if it so suits you. I will be having no part in these pointless mind games any longer. I've been an avid participant in them for long enough."

"B-but," the younger demon sputtered, almost seeming to sway uncontrollably where he stood, shock and horror thickly coating not only his voice, but his entire posture as well. "Y-you can't possibly just allow them to win like that... You have to fight back!... Aku-"

"Aku is dead," the felidae repeated, her voice as cold as ice. "And we have no one left to lead us now. Grow up and face the facts laid out before you, Akou. The humans have won and we have lost. Even if I decided to step into the role of a leader now, who in their right mind would ever follow me? Who would ever put their faith in a demon who has done nothing but lie to their faces for centuries on end, manipulate them into doing exactly what she wants? The truth of the matter here is that, like it or not, we have no one suitable enough to lead and I am a worthless candidate to these people, Akou, and always have been. A simple nobody. A liar and a manipulator getting her kicks out of playing god. That is all I am, all I have ever been and all I ever will be. So do yourself a favor and stop wasting all of our time."

"Oh, bullshit!" The canine finally snapped back, appearing to have regained some of his senses after his recent shock, the obsidian fur of his haunches rising in what could only be called a mixture of undisguised fury and incredulity.

"That is not true and you fucking know it! For God's sake, Akua, which demon was the first to fully delve into the workings of demonic magic, previously left unexplored? Which demon pulled all of us together during the difficult years of the Emperor's scourge, in spite of all the obstacles thrown her way? Who helped Aku build the world that we are living in now? I'll tell you who - it was you! You who believed in a better future for our kind and did everything in your power to lead us right to it! Everything we have, everything we've ever achieved is thanks to your determination, your hard work. And now you're just giving up on everything you've created?! After everything you've been through, after everything you've done for our people?!"

He stalked forward until they were practically nose to nose, his burning yellow eyes staring deep into her equally infuriated ones without the slightest bit of hesitation, without even a lick of fear.

"Aku put his faith in you to guide him that day and so did we! You were the one who pulled all of us away from the brink of extinction. You were the one who helped us build everything we have now!"

"And just look where all of that got us!" The cat like being suddenly snarled, her own snake-like eyes flashing furiously in the abrupt darkness that seemed to have fallen upon the tiny room. But even with the scorching anger directed at them now, the pain and sorrow in her accented voice were obvious.

"Aku is dead! My **son** and the **one** cub I thought I would never lose is gone. Lost to the people he didn't even remember ever hurting! The demons I've tried so hard to protect are turned against me and it's only a matter of time before they show up here to kill me for what I've done. My job? My purpose? Everything I've built? It's all gone! All burnt down to ashes and I..." The medic broke herself off with a sharp intake of breath, swaying heavily where she stood, one clawed hand reaching out and grasping desperately at the cold stone wall for support as the demon struggled to keep herself from collapsing.

"I am done with fighting a losing battle, Akou, done stalling in hopes of finding a way for our species to survive. That's all I've ever done and all I've ever lived for, and I have nothing left to me now."

A shaking, stuttering breath left her trembling lips, by far the only noise breaking the heavy silence that had suddenly fallen upon them, and when she spoke again her voice was quiet, almost cracking.

"Just.. just let me be. Let me spend whatever time I have left to me with some dignity. I failed to save them and I failed to protect him. There's nothing I can do for any of them now."

Akua's lips curled in a bitter smile.

"I'm afraid... That your faith in me, Aku's faith in me... has been misplaced."

"You're wrong." The two demons sharply looked up at the sound of a third voice joining in on their conversation, shock coloring both of their gazes as they looked down at the reptilian creature who had up until now remained stubbornly silent.

Satina cautiously stepped forward, finally gathering enough courage to interrupt their heated argument, brilliant, poison green eyes never leaving Akua's towering form, all but glowing with hope and determination.

The reptile would be lying if she said she wasn't somewhat intimidated while doing this, joining a conversation that did not quite involve her in hopes of saving all of their lives, as well as avenging Aku's. Though Akou was more or less closer to her age, Akua, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. Looking at her work, talking to her over a cup of coffee or randomly meeting her in the citadel's hallway, you were often prone to forget that she was an ancient, powerful creature, indeed even older even than Aku himself. A being who had quite literally been around for thousands upon thousands of years upon this planet, had survived all sorts of cataclysms and had watched numerous species come and go.

Compared to her, Satina herself was nothing but a flake of dust. A temporary speck upon the surface of this grand world. Even with her species's significant lifespan, it meant nothing compared to that of a demon's. But, even so, that involuntary intimidation would not dissuade her from speaking up now. No. Not when all of their lives depended on her ability to convince them all to come together during perhaps the most difficult time of their existence.

Taking a deep, calming breath, the reptile forced herself to meet Akua's gaze head on, fighting to keep her voice steady and even.

"Aku has always trusted you, we have always trusted you to lead precisely because of your inability to back down, even when times got really hard. Because of your extreme awareness of who you are and what surrounds you, the fact that you know you can't save everyone and instead always focus on the bigger picture. We trust you because of your ruthlessness when dealing with those you consider your enemies. These are the qualities that made Aku choose you as his successor in the event of his death. And these are also the qualities that we need our new leader to have if we are to make it through this alive."

The two demons froze at those spirited words, eyes going wide as the final part of the heated speech finally registered within their minds, Akua in particular seeming to go almost deathly still in shock, disbelief coloring her posture and voice.

"... What?"

Satina looked away, the bony crest adorning her muzzle dipping down with the force of the still fresh grief welling up within her at the mere mention of Aku's name, throat flexing as she forced herself to continue regardless, vocals as steady and even as she could possibly muster them to be.

"When the samurai first appeared in this world.. Aku knew that he wouldn't be the easiest to kill and that some precautionary measures had to be taken, whether he liked it or not. One of which was to pick a successor in the, admittedly unlikely, event of his death. Someone who would be able to take over his throne. Someone who would be capable of keeping his Empire together, even if he was no longer present to do so himself."

Poison green eyes met startling yellow.

"And he chose you, Akua. Not Akita, not anyone else out of the more senior demons within the ranks, and not even me. You. He trusted you to continue moving forward, to protect everything he has built over the last few centuries and only strengthen it in power. Out of everyone, he believed that you would be able to find a way to defeat the samurai, even if he himself could not. Your **son** trusted you to finish what he'd started, Akua. Please.. Don't tell me you're going to disappoint him now by admitting defeat."

A choked breath left the demon's lips at those words and Akua couldn't stop herself from swaying violently if she tried, a clawed hand softly clamping over her mouth and eyes slowly sliding shut as she shook all over, features contorting in pain and all-encompassing grief.

Akou, on the other hand, still hadn't budged from his spot beside her, watching Satina carefully from the corner of his eyes, as if quietly gauging the sincerity of her short speech. She met his gaze without hesitation, without the slightest bit of trepidation or fear, giving him a tiny nod.

A shadow of a smile flickered briefly over the corners of the canine's lips.

After what seemed to be ages, Akua finally looked up, shoulders squaring and eyes lighting up with new determination, alongside the already existing pain. One that Satina hadn't seen for over a year now, ever since Aku's.. capture. But, even so, the hesitance was still there too, the crushing guilt and nagging uncertainty about her fate and her choice to fight once more, the demon's torn ears pressing flat against her narrow skull in almost palpable distress.

Shame flashed briefly over that feline face, there and gone within seconds as the medic struggled to pull herself together, to gather the will to do something she hadn't done for thousands upon thousands of years, her mouth going dry as she quite literally stumbled over her next few words. "I.. If I am to indeed go through with this, I-I need-"

Akou's lips quirked in a small smile of relief, almost a grim sort of amusement now dancing merrily within his snake-like eyes. "Help?"

Akua nodded, still refusing to look at any of them, arms crossing in a tense gesture over her narrow chest. "The others will not follow me if I am on my own."

The felidae looked up sharply as a heavy hand fell upon one of her shoulders, watching warily as her fellow demon quietly approached, his claws gently squeezing around her and the look on his face one of fiery determination and at the same time reassurance.

"You can count on both of us to back you up on this one, 'Kua. Even if I can't promise I'll always be able to keep a level head. You know how emotional I can get." Satina nodded in confirmation of his words, the bony crests upon her skull and tail unfolding as she walked up to stand beside them, carefully avoiding the piles of paper now strewn all over the dusty floor.

A quiet chuckle left the cat's lips.

"I would expect nothing less from a hotheaded idiot like you."

Akou's jaw slackened in feigned offense.

"Hey!"

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

Deafening, ear-splitting noise bombarded their ear drums even before they could fully emerge into the main chambers, quickly informing the trio of the newest state of their current situation. It quickly became clear that the violence had escalated greatly during the few minutes that they were away, just as Satina had predicted it would. Problem was, she did not imagine it ever becoming quite this bad.

Blood, dark and cold, splattered the citadel's walls as several pairs of demons lunged furiously at each other, teeth and claws held bared and sinking viciously into soft flesh, ripping jagged, horrendous wounds in their opponent's bodies and filling the chilly air with howls of raw agony and angered screams. Akou barely had time to grasp her by the nape of her neck in order to pull her out of the way as another barelling creature ran past them, the reptile watching in shock and horror as the unknown being slammed into one of its colleagues, both of them crashing to the floor with a sharp, sickening crack of snapping bones.

Having seen and heard enough, Akua slammed her powerful tail against the nearby wall with enough force to crack it, turquoise markings flashing blindingly in her overwhelming and fear-inducing rage. "Alright that is **ENOUGH**!"

At once the room seemed to go deathly still, almost like a recording that had been put on sudden pause, numerous black bodies turning to peer in their direction, confusion and alarm flashing over the multitude of different faces. Akua, however, was far from finished.

"Is this really any way for us to behave?! For the Minions of Aku himself?! Fighting amongst ourselves, acting like we are nothing more than glorified beasts!" The demon's lip curled in a disgusted snarl. "How do you expect us to fight back against our common enemy? Is this pointless brawling really how you expect us to ensure our continued survival!?"

"Yeah? And who asked you?" A voice sounded from somewhere within the dense crowd. "Who are you to lecture us? You're nothing but a traitor!" An agreeing rumble travelled throughout the dark rows, eyes, claws and teeth flashing menacingly in the low light. "You lost any right to critize the moment you chose to enslave us alongside Aku!"

Akua grit her fangs as another low cheer travelled through the gathered group, much more audible this time around. She didn't need to look to know that Akou was preparing himself for a heated retort of his own and shot him a sharp glance before he could quite do so, signaling for him to remain quiet. The absolute last thing they needed now was to say something that would only provoke their former colleagues.

"I did what I thought was best for you! What was best for all of us!" The felidae snapped, eyes flicking from one form to another and torn ears angling this way and that, searching for the speaker. "Aku was always going to come to power regardless of our choices. I just made sure that we got something out of it!" And I'm sick and tired of my lie being used as an excuse for others to grasp at what they perceive to be power, she added silently to herself, lips curling in an irritated growl.

"Did you? Or did you just make sure that you got something out of it first and foremost?" The voice said and that was when the crowd before them finally parted, allowing a new demon to step out from among the thick throng of tall bodies.

From first glance she was no different from a human woman. Thin, petite, astonishingly attractive, even with her unusual gray skin and almost nauseatingly yellow eyes... It was only when you began to look closer that the angel-like illusion started to swiftly fall apart, horror and disgust soon taking the place of awe and amazement at the forefront of your mind.

The first thing you noticed were usually the three extra pairs of eyes adorning the oval shaped face besides the normal one. The next thing you took immediate note of were usually the legs, eight of them in total, extending from the center of the woman's back and waving almost lazily in the chilly air of Aku's citadel, the bladed ends glinting maliciously with the promise of excruciating hurt. The third and by far last thing you probably saw right before meeting your demise were probably the chelicerae, hiding just inside the corners of the woman's mouth and barely visible and always, always ready to sink themselves deep into soft, unprotected flesh.

Akua's eyes narrowed into tiny slits.

"Akaira."

The other demon's lips quirked in mockery and contempt at the sound of her voice, arrogantly flashing the deadly pincers waiting within in what appeared to be intimidation.

"You like to talk big, Akua, and when you do you can be very convincing, I'll give you that. But even the best of liars get cornered eventually, just like you have now. Why don't you just admit it already, this has always been about you and not us." The woman moved smoothly to the side, and the cat-like demon followed suit, carefully keeping the distance between them as they began to cautiously circle one another, watching each other closely.

"You lost your cubs all those years ago and you've always allowed yourself to be shaped by that loss ever since. You believe that there is a debt to be repaid, that by somehow saving demonic lives and protecting us from the consequences of our own mistakes you will somehow earn forgiveness for what you've done. Isn't that right? Becoming a medic was just the first step and it satisfied you. For a while anyway. But then you stumbled upon Aku."

The spider-like demon came to a sudden stop in her tracks. The felinoid did the same.

It was only now that Akua noticed that they were surrounded, the demonic crowd creating a large circle around the two of them, packing tightly around, leaving no visible gaps for either her or Akaira to use in an effort to get away.

Her yellow eyes narrowed into tiny slits.

So... that's how it was going to be then.

"Admit it, you got attached. Sure, he was no infant, certainly no helpless, crying ball of black fur that cubs usually are. But.. in a way.. you did end up raising him, didn't you? Teaching him our ways, our language, trying to integrate him into our society... And I guarantee you that Aku saw that, used it to play you like a fiddle. Just like you later played us." The other demon bared her pincers in an ugly snarl.

"Be honest, you never cared all that much for us or our future. All you ever did was use us as a disguise, as something to justify your own selfish desire to finally have your perfect family, to be a good mother. You saw an opportunity in Aku, did you not? A son that you never truly got to have... A second chance, if you will. And you were not going to let such an opportunity slide, even at the cost of the survival of your own race!"

Akaira's multiple eyes flashed that same nauseating yellow. "Well, I say it's high time that we stopped following a creature haunted by her own past, or allowing ourselves to be ruled by a memory of a dead tyrant. I'm taking over this joint now, and I will only say this once: back down. Before I am forced to kill you."

Silence, deafening and heavy, fell between them, the two opposing demons merely staring each other down, teeth bared and hackles raised in challenge and aggression.

A quiet chuckle left Akua's lips, one which only grew in volume and intensity until she was almost shaking where she stood, raucous laughter bursting forth in violent, sharp bouts and eerily bouncing off of the stone walls around them, the surrounding crowd, including the spider, taking several steps back and away, eyes wide in alarm and stirring fear.

This wasn't the kind of laughter you usually expected to hear during your life. It wasn't the light-hearted, infectious and ultimately jovial sound you slowly grew accustomed to with the passing years. No. This.. this sounded dark, malicious.

Cruel.

The demon's markings flashed a blinding turquoise.

"It's amusing, isn't it, when people accuse others of manipulation? Especially while doing the exact same thing they are condemning in order to grasp even the smallest shred of power.. Hypocrisy much?" Akaira snarled, but the medic was no longer looking at her, starting to pace around the tight circle the crowd had created around them, tail lashing in suppressed rage. From the corner of her eyes, she could just barely glimpse the dull shine of plum scales, the blue glow of Akou's horns, but did acknowledge them. They would not be helping her in this fight. Not this time. This was something that she had to do on her own.

"Funny how you're trying to run with this narrative so conveniently handed to you by that human.. 'Aku is bad because he recruited you under false pretenses.' 'Akua should be shunned because she was in on the deception. Because she was a bleeding heart desperate to do right by someone after the death of her offspring, regardless of their own feelings and choices.'"

"What, you're seriously saying that that isn't true?"

Akua shook her head. "No. Instead I'm saying that it is true, but you know what else is? The fact that Aku upheld his part of the deal when he really had no reason to. The fact that he could've enslaved all of us, but ultimately didn't. The fact that he took all of us in, even though it would've been easier for him to kill us. The fact that Aku gave us a home, a chance at education, an opportunity to develop as a race. He protected us, he gave us shelter, and you're just going to dismiss all of that? And why? Because he wasn't upfront with you from the start?"

The same bitter, unpleasant laughter bubbled forth once more.

"I don't know what kind of dream world you prefer living in, but no one's ever completely honest with you about their intentions. No one. Everyone always has something to gain. It is what it is, really. Aku may have lied, **I** may have lied, but that does not negate everything both of us have ever done for you!" The sudden shout caught all of them by surprise, the demons flinching back as the medic stalked past, hardly resembling her calm self anymore, fur fluffed up in all-consuming rage and fangs held bared. "We gave you a home! We protected you from disease, from cataclysms, from the human scourge! And you're just going to forget all of that? And why? Because you're scared?! Or is it because you wouldn't mind grasping some of that power for yourself?"

The others wouldn't meet her gaze. Akaira's sneer only grew more and more dark as she continued to speak. That on itself was answer enough.

"I shouldn't have lied to you, and your anger for that is understandable. But like it or not, I'm the best option you have now. I never put you in chains. I never beat you down, humiliated you, treated you like slaves. And neither did Aku! But the humans have. Do you really think that by submitting to them now that things will get better for you?! Do you really think that by overthrowing me now you'll somehow be securing some power? Some place in their ranks?!" The cat's lips curled in a derisive snarl. "What kind of shivering, pathetic creatures are you? Where are the demons that I once knew? Those that rose against the Emperor all those years ago, stood up for their freedom even with all the odds stacked against them? Where are the demons that I once fought beside?!"

Something heavy slammed into her side with sudden brutality and a surprised, strangled screech left the felidae's lips as sharp blades sank with cold viciousness deep into her flank, ripping jagged lines into her flesh.

Akaira's face, no longer beautiful and nothing short of monstrous in its infuriated contortions, shoved itself forward until they were practically nose to nose, the medic doing her best not to cringe away as that damp chelicerae softly traced her sharp jawline, dipping down to scrape threateningly against her throat, leaving wet, saliva soaked fur in their wake.

"You are not talking you way out of this!" The other demon snarled and Akua clenched her teeth, unable to stop herself from grunting and jerking in the woman's tight grip as those extra legs sank even deeper into her, obsidian blood now pouring thickly from multiple stab wounds marring her side. "Your days in this world are over!"

But before she could lunge forth and sink her jaws into the vulnerable throat beneath her, Akua was already moving, her tail curling around the spider's neck and slamming her into the ground with a sickening, sharp crack, an agonized and utterly inhuman shriek echoing in the confines of the stone chamber as Akaira's arm snapped beneath the force of her violent fall like a twig.

Unwilling to allow her opponent even a second of recovery, the cat-like demon was almost instantly upon her, claws sinking into the open wound of her broken limb and raking at her vulnerable midsection, powerful jaws closing around a gray shoulder, the felidae relishing in the blood now flooding her mouth, the sweet scent of fear filling her nostrils and the pain filled screams sounding in her torn ears.

There were no rational thoughts going through her mind then, no disgust or terror of her own actions. All Akua was aware of in that moment were the fury, the pain, the utter bloodlust now pumping through her system in scorching waves, the sharp blades of her claws digging even deeper into the four parallel cuts already marring the other's stomach, reaching for the vulnerable intestines-

The punch to her left eye caught her by surprise and left her disoriented long enough for a sharp knee to drive itself viciously into the deep stab wounds in her side, Akaira wasting no time in getting the felinoid off of her and using her extra limbs to send her flying across the open space created for them by the surrounding crowd, Akua barely managing to flip over mid air and land gracelessly on her bloodstained paws, stumbling heavily as she struggled to regain her balance.

"This is barbaric," Satina breathed as she watched the two creatures circle each other once more, Akaira supporting her crushed shoulder and all but destroyed arm, bone glinting ominously in the low light, and Akua spitting out blood, fur ruffled and drenched in the thick obsidian liquid. "We have to stop them, they're going to kill each other! There has to be another way to do this!" But as she tried to step into the ring in order to intervene, Akou held her back, yellow eyes never leaving the two battling forms.

The reptile's fangs bared in an enraged snarl. "Let go of me, Akou!"

"No, I can't allow you to do that. You'll only end up getting yourself killed if you try and jump in now. This is Akua's fight, and her fight alone."

"This dispute can be settled civilly!" The woman hissed, green eyes flashing in fear and alarm as the two demons lunged at each other once more, dust and small stones spraying everywhere and the crowd shrinking back, dodging the battling forms to the best of their ability within the cramped space. "This is no reason for a physical confrontation!"

Akou shot her a sad look. "There is no other option. This is the demonic way. You have to remember that as civilised as we may seem, at our very cores we are still more animal than we are human. Akaira challenged her leadership and it is Akua's job to reestablish it now. However, this does not entail a mere physical battle, it's not so much the strength and skills that truly matter here, though they are a pleasant bonus. More than anything, this is a battle of the wills... And who's proves itself to be the strongest."

Akua couldn't stifle the pained grunt that wrung itself past her dark lips as her back made sudden contact with the hard stone floor of Aku's citadel for the second time that day, Akaira settling in a heavy weight over her thin body. Despite her best efforts and to her growing horror, she soon found that she could no longer move, her arms pinned against her sides and her legs unable to find leverage, kicking uselessly beneath the spider's form. Even her tail, strong as it certainly was, was in no position or state to get the other off of her.

A triumphant smirk flashed over those monstrous features as something slowly and viciously sank into the felinoid's rib cage, the being a over her relishing in the medic's agonized screech.

Akua knew what this meant for her. Knew that if she did not free herself now she would not be walking away from this fight alive. Could already feel the venom being pumped into her system, steadily accumulating to the lethal amount required to kill her and realized that if this continued she would be dead within a minute. But... Now that she thought about it... Was that really such a bad thing?

The weight above her shifted, sinking the blade even deeper into the side of her chest and Akua grunted again, fangs clenching tight in pain.

It wouldn't take much... All she had to do was lie still, go completely limp in the other's hold. She'd seen the other demon kill before, she knew just how quickly the venom worked once it reached a certain amount. It would be swift, relatively painless. And she... She would finally get to see her little ones again. Would perhaps even get to reunite with Aku, provided the idiot had not already gotten himself lost in the new environment. He never did have a good sense of directions, in unknown areas or otherwise...

All she really had to do was lie still and it would all be over. Just a little longer and she would be-

A choked breath broke the sudden silence that had fallen upon the demonic crowd, sharp and sudden and barely masking the quiet sounds of ripping flesh. Four pairs of eyes went almost painfully wide as Akua's muzzle suddenly withdrew in one sharp motion, obsidian blood spraying and coating the dark fur as she all but tore the spider's neck in half, muscles, tendons and ligaments spilling thickly between her sharp fangs, falling unceremoniously to the now heavily stained floor.

And just like that.. the blade pumping venom into her withdrew, the now dead body of Akaira falling to the side and off of the felinoid creature with an almost deafening thud in the otherwise silent barracks, the demons shrinking back in shock as the medic slowly rose to her feet, stumbling and swaying uncontrollably as she struggled to regain her balance, soaked in blood and utterly exhausted, yet undeniably alive.

Yellow eyes glowed eerily in the semi-darkness of the tyrant's citadel.

"Hear me, all minions of Aku," the demon spat, cold and ruthless fury thickening her already heavily accented voice and the turquoise light of her facial markings highlighting the lines of her face, dancing on the surface of her pale fangs and sending shivers running down the others' spines. "My name is Akua, and I have been chosen by Aku himself to lead you. I summon you all now to band together with me in the light of this new threat, to once again follow me in rising up against this tyranny just as you had all those centuries ago. We had defeated the human Emperor back then and we will do the same again right here and now! The world will taste our wrath once more! Because we know how to live with pride! Because we are no cowards. We are no weaklings waiting for slaughter!"

Akua's fangs bared in a fierce snarl.

"We are demons!"

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

He was calling out that name again... Whispering it, choking it out, as if pleading for the person owning it to come back. To.. to not leave him all alone again.

Heart clenching within his chest to the point of pain, Jack sagged in the wooden chair he'd pulled up next to the tyrant's bed, long fingers slowly, almost hesitantly reaching out and softly curling around dull claws, gently wrapping themselves around them, squeezing them in silent support and overwhelming sorrow.

Aku's fever was only getting worse. Nothing they were currently doing seemed to be helping the demon so far, merely serving to alleviate some of his pain without truly curing the cause of it. The samurai had hoped that one of these days the spells would work, that the human medicine, however unlikely, would at least have some effect on the infected wound. But no such luck. Despite their best efforts, the infection only appeared to progress, ravaging the already thin and battered form with new torment until Aku was twitching in pain as he slept, green features contorting in undisguised anguish and hurt.

Had he not used a magical shard to inflict the injury upon himself or not been so weak to begin with, the former tyrant would've undoubtedly recovered quickly. Would've certainly regenerated almost instantly, returned to his former self. But that wasn't the case here now. No. The truth, however bitter, was that Aku was slowly dying and none of them could truly do anything about it, forced to merely watch from the side lines, hoping against hope that something would eventually change for the better.

The demon beside him shivered and the samurai quietly set his steaming cup of tea back on the coaster on the tiny bedside table, rising to his feet and dutifully adjusting the thick covers already draped over the other's form, the look in his onyx eyes distant.

The odd reptilian creature that had barely allowed any of them anywhere near Aku had left them several days ago now. Without warning, without a single word spoken to either of them, even the Scotsman's wife. Had just straight up.. vanished, as if it'd never been here in the first place, leaving all of them to deal with the terrible situation on their own.

Jack would be lying if he said he wasn't somewhat bitter about the other's choice. That it did not irk him on some level as they struggled to help the ailing demon, did everything in their power to keep him alive.

First it had done everything in its power to make tending to Aku difficult, and now it was just suddenly gone? He should've figured that it would turn out to be as much of a self-centered coward as it's former master had used to be before his... his experience.

Although... Perhaps he wasn't being entirely fair, perhaps there was a very good reason behind its abrupt departure. But at this point, he found it increasingly more difficult to try and sympathize with the creature that had hindered all of their attempts to help, had simply abandoned them when things got even more difficult.

The door to the bedroom opened with a soft creak and whoosh of stale air and the samurai reluctantly looked up, meeting the Scotsman's gaze as the burly man cautiously made his way inside, coming up to stand next to him by the demon's bed.

"How's he daein', laddie?"

A soft sigh sigh left Jack's lips, arms crossing tensely over his broad chest as he reluctantly stood aside and allowed his friend to inspect the unconscious being, eyes falling to the wooden floor beneath them. "He.. is not well. I am afraid he is only getting worse."

A quiet grunt of acknowledgement sounded from beside him as Dearg's fingers left Aku's forehead, the look on his face dark and troubled. "Ay figured."

"Is there really nothing else we can try?" The shorter human questioned, voice dripping with the first notes of desperation and sorrow. "No medicine that I can perhaps procure? No person I could speak to?"

"Na, as far as I knoo thir's nobody wha wid be able tae 'elp him noew. As far as a'body knoos, demonic physiology isnae explored al' that well 'n' the ony infermation that wis available wis kept undr wraps by Akew hisself, th' git likelie worried that someone wid fin' a wey tae use it against 'im. Th' most we can dew is continue daein' what we can an' 'ope that somethin' werks eventually."

Jack looked away at the blunt statement, shoulders hunching in palpable distress and arms tightening where they were crossed over his gi clad chest, knuckles imperceptibly going white with the force of his tight grip.

"He is going to die, isn't he?"

The Scotsman sharply looked up from where he'd been carefully inspecting the tyrant's wounds, the look in his eyes alarmed and searching. The samurai wouldn't meet his gaze. Suddenly stalking forward, the larger man almost furiously grasped the other by the thin shoulders and shook him, effectively forcing him to meet his gaze. "Listn' te me naew, laddie. Akew wullsurvive this, ye hear me? I'll be damned before Ay let 'im die and we wull pull 'im out of this funk an' go after the people who've done this tae 'im, ai?"

Even though he could not quite bring himself to believe his friend, despite the fact that he desperately wanted to, Jack's head dipped in a shallow nod, onyx eyes never straying from Aku's now motionless form.

He looked so weak... So utterly frail... And Jack was so helpless, so unable to offer the other aid... To save him from the overwhelming pain destroying him from within..

The door quietly creaking open behind them caught both of them by surprise.

A small, familiar form slipped almost soundlessly into the cozy room, faintly reeking of the recent rain and fresh cut grass. A large wad of something that they did not immediately recognize was grasped tightly in those strong jaws, the creature's poison green eyes flashing as it moved with determination towards the narrow bed- only to have its path suddenly blocked by the Scotsman's prominent form.

"What d'ye think yer daein' 'ere, lizerd?" Dearg boomed, peering down at the petite being, his beady black eyes narrowed into tiny slits. "Ye disappear fer over three days, an' suddenly shaew up agin? Ye arenae gettin' anywhere near im, ye gommy midden feartie. Away wit' ye!"

Completely disregarding the loud warrior with an iciness that the samurai sometimes envied, the reptile tried to get around the much taller human, her attention focused only on the bed ahead of her, but was blocked off from it again, the Scotsman's peg leg slamming forcefully into the wooden floor mere centimeters from her triangular muzzle.

"What did I sae?!"

Huffing a frustrated and annoyed breath, the creature suddenly spat out her precious burden and rose onto her back legs with startling ease, crossing her arms over her chest and leveling both of them with a stern and utterly irritated glare.

"If you do not let me tend to him right now, you daft brute," the reptile suddenly hissed lowly, and furiously in clear and undeniably human language, eyes flashing in the dim light of early morning.

"Then Aku will die."


	15. Chapter 15

"Okay. Noo that that's over an' daene wi', d'ye mynd telling us who th' hell ye arr 'n' how ye happen tae knoo human tongue, noet tae mention _demonic medicin'_ o' all thins?!"

They were standing outside in the house's sunlit hallway now, all three of them, staring at each other through narrowed eyes, the air almost seeming to crackle with the force of the palpable tension and suspicion swiftly blooming between them, neither side trusting the other unreservedly.

As it had quickly turned out, the bundle the creature had brought with it contained what appeared to be medical supplies amongst other things, ones specifically designed for creatures of demonic origin and all but drenched in their unique dark magic. The Scotsman, being particular sensitive to the presence of spells of different kinds, had immediately confirmed as much by instinctively recoiling from the small package, fingers twitching in revulsion and almost automatically curling into tight fists. And, as the creature reluctantly professed her lack of knowledge on how to properly apply the healing salve and Dearg would not touch the substance at any cost, including apparently a ten foot pole, it had ultimately been up to Jack to tend to the wounded demon, the man quietly and gently shushing Aku whenever the other whimpered or whined in pain as the cool medicine was carefully spread over his deep gash, the reptile instantly tensing where she stood at the weak and barely audible sounds of suffering.

There was not a single doubt in anybody's mind that she would instantly jump in to defend her Master at any cost, even if it meant putting her own life at risk. If she sensed even the slightest threat to his well-being that is.

To their collective relief and joy, however, the substance seemed to work on the former tyrant almost immediately, those familiar dark shoulders relaxing as the burning pain plaguing the demon for so long finally, _finally_ started to subside, allowing him to rest and recover relatively undisturbed, his green features no longer contorting in discomfort and hurt. Getting him conscious enough to force antibiotic pills down his throat, on the other hand, soon proved to be much more of a challenge, but they managed to accomplish it regardless, carefully propping Aku up and flushing them down with water before cautiously settling the trembling tyrant back on the plush surface of the bed's matress and numerous pillows, covering him up with as many warm blankets as they could possibly find. Demons, being creatures partially born of flames, were much more susceptible to cold than others after all.

Which now found all of them standing outside of the small bedroom, the Scotsman and their reptilian guest glaring at each other with equal heat and might as they tried (and so far failed) to set the record straight between them. Not that either of them were doing much to make the entire process very easy really, still far too reluctant to trust each other, both far too worried about Aku in their own unique way.

"I am Satina, Aku's personal assistant and secretary," the reptile sniffed, lips curling in distaste and voice almost taking on a patronizing tone, as if what she'd just told them was the most obvious thing in the world. Jack felt his dislike for her only grow. "Honestly, do none of you watch the news? If you had, you would've heard of me at least once by now."

"Ay den't watch anythin' with Akew's propaganda splattered all ove it," The Scotsman growled back with equal irritation, black eyes narrowed. "Ay get tired of starin' at his ugly muzzle whenever me famly an' Ay wander outside as it is. Ay donnae need tae see 'im when Ay'm in me own home as well."

"Well if either of you had _bothered_ to tolerate Aku's _propaganda_ as you so eloquently put it for just a few minutes, I dare say, you would have a far _better_ understanding of what's going on around here and how the planet's being run than you do right now!"

"Dae _naet_ trai an' lecture _me_ on politics, _creature_!" Dearg thundered in reply, towering over the much smaller being, fists held tightly clenched. "Unlike ye Ay actually _dew_ spend sum time amongst the people! Ay've _seen_ the atrocities Akew 'as committed personally! Things that _ye_ people love tae cover up evry chance ye get!"

The reptile, Satina, as she had so graciously introduced herself, opened her mouth to give a scathing retort, but Jack didn't give her the chance or opportunity to do so, stepping between the two arguing parties before things could escalate and perhaps even lead to a physical confrontation. _That_ particular outcome was by far the last thing any of them needed now, including Aku.

"Alright, that is _enough_. Please, let us have a civil conversation here."

His current companions reluctantly fell silent at his gentle admonishment, the Scotsman tensely and stubbornly crossing his arms over his broad chest and the woman shuffling her clawed feet in visible discomfort, head crest twitching as she refused to meet either of their gazes.

After a long pause and a heavy sigh, however, Satina forced herself to continue regardless of her momentary shame, voice considerably softer than it had been mere moments before. "Answering your earlier question, the reason why I know a little of demonic medicine is because I have worked for Aku for the last two hundred and thirty six years. I've had more than enough time to become familiar with his... unique physiology. To say the least. But that is not of great importance here now, the main thing that ought to be focused on being that I have been sent here to confirm his fate... As well as to seek help. _Your_ help, to be exact, Samurai Jack."

The warrior frowned at the unexpected and rather bold declaration, surprise flashing briefly within the dark depths of his onyx eyes. From the corner of his vision he could just barely make out the Scotsman go tense as well. "My help?"

"I don't know if you've been paying attention to the world around you, _samurai_, but things are only getting worse and are _going_ to get worse for everyone living on this planet, not just Aku." The woman said, sudden, bone-deep exhaustion lacing her posture and voice.

The two men shared a troubled look at that, confusion all but rolling off their forms in waves. "What do you mean by that?"

The reptile withheld a deep, frustrated sigh. "What I _mean_ is that the public unrest is only continuing to grow. Without Aku at the head of the entire planet, and only a portion of the criminal underworld truly submitting themselves to the new management, it's only a matter of time before we have a civil war on our hands. The cities aren't being run properly. The laws aren't changing, there are little to no new reforms and the economy is just starting to slip, if it hasn't done so already. People are taking notice, and trust me, they are _not_ happy. Khürel and his people are doing their best to get things under control, I'll give them that much, but strength and intimidation only get you so far. While they are certainly not idiots, not all of them at least, they are most definitely _not_ very skilled politicians either. Unless we want everything to erupt into chaos and for countless people to get hurt, Aku _has_ to reclaim his throne. Whether you like it or not."

Silence fell between them, heavy and entirely undisturbed save for the distant sounds of singing birds and rustling leaves coming from the forest outside, as well as the occasional barely audible exclamation of utter vexation and rage from the Scotsman's wife downstairs, the woman no doubt doing her best to feed her four rambunctious daughters.

Having spent several mornings helping out with them already, Jack didn't envy her now. Not in the least.

"Well," the Scotsman said and his companion looked up in surprise, onyx eyes now watching the other closely. "Lookin' at what's happenin' now and knowin' what they've done, Ay s'pose it's betta tae have Akew on the throon than those blitherin' hotten-blaugh tatties. In fact, after seein' what they've daen tae that demon, Ay'd love nothin' more than tae see a few of their skulls split opaen." The man glanced sideways at the now closed mahogany door of the small bedroom behind them. When he spoke again, his voice was quiet, almost a whisper. "Nobodeh deserves tae go through something like that. Nobodeh deserves tae be hurt this waey. Naet even Akew."

To say that Jack was surprised by the other's stance would be an understatement. Out of all the people gathered here, he'd thought that the _Scotsman_ would be the most difficult person to convince, to persuade. _He_ had never professed any sort of open sympathy towards Aku, much like Jack himself never had. Had instead actively displayed his _disdain_ for the demon on numerous occasions, spouting curses and promises of taking him down. For him to now so openly declare his willingness to _help_ the former lord, to actually agree to it at all.. was simply unthinkable. And yet, here he was, promising to aid them in their quest while Jack... Jack himself was not as certain whether or not _he_ wanted to do this. To aid the one person who perhaps deserved his compassion the least.

The screams of his long lost people echoed eerily within his ears.

There were some things that would never be forgotten, certain actions that would never be forgiven. Some crimes that would never be excused, no matter the circumstances, no matter the consequences the demon had already faced for committing them, the samurai knew that. Knew also that he still had every _right_ to choose to walk away from this right here and now, to leave Aku to his fate, but..

But then the bitter memories would flash before his eyes once more. Memories of Aku flinching away from his touch, eyes wide in uncontrollable fright and unbridled panic. Of the demon shivering and trembling in his troubled, nightmare-plagued sleep, whimpering and curling around himself until he was no more than a tight little ball of shuddering dark essence, the pitiful remains of his once prominent horns lowering in an effort of making himself a smaller target. Of his former rival lying sprawled in a large pool of his own blood, struggling frantically against their grasp, fighting their every attempt to save his life and desperately begging them for death. _Pleading_ for them to finally put him out of his misery, for his suffering to finally come to an _end_.

He couldn't allow those people to get away with this, couldn't possibly forgive them for doing something like this to another living creature, tormenting and breaking him until he no longer even wished to continue living. Not in good faith, not at the cost of his honor as a samurai, as a basic human _being_.

Jack couldn't allow the other's life to end this way.

His father had given him the task of defeating the demon all those years ago, of bringing his tyranny to an end, but not like this. Even _Aku_, for all his crimes and atrocities and unleashed horrors, did not _deserve_ this, did not truly deserve to be _hurt_like this. For a long time, Jack had thought that the only way he could truly fulfil his destiny would be to slay the accursed demon once and for all, but now he realized that he had been wrong. So wrong indeed. There _was_ another way for him to put an end to this, to finally get rid of this conflict between them. One that did not necessarily include actually killing Aku.

"I will help you," he told the much smaller creature at last, somewhat marveling at how she managed to keep a dignified and at the same time cold air about her even with the company of the two towering men. "I will do everything in my power to bring these people to justice. And to restore order in this world once more." 'As well as try and change Aku's ways,' he added silently to himself, hoping against hope that the others would not pick up on that unspoken promise. Fortunately, it did not seem like they had.

Poison green eyes gleamed in the bright light of the sun's rays like vibrant jewels.

"Good." Satina said with almost imperceptible relief, finally turning away from the two of them and reaching quietly for the bedroom door, clearly finished with their hushed conversation. Jack, however, stopped her before she could quite take this chance to leave them, one last nagging question prompting him to speak up and seek out the answer to it before the chance could be lost forever.

"Satina.. who is Akua?"

The reptile went deathly still at his quiet inquiry, sharply turning around to glance at him over her left shoulder, eyes narrowing into tiny slits. "How do you know that name, samurai?"

Suddenly feeling very uncomfortable, as if he had accidentally intruded into something very personal, the human shrugged, a hand slowly coming up to rub at the back of his neck as he studiously avoided the other's searching gaze. "Aku.. Aku was calling it out in his sleep. He ah... He seemed very desperate to speak to this.. person. Who is it?"

Aku's former assistant clenched her jaw at those words, demonstratively turning her back on the two of them and pushing open the heavy bedroom door, obviously reluctant to give him the answer he sought so insistently and eager to get back to her injured and unconscious master.

"_That_ is none of your business, samurai."

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

Everything hurt.

That was his first thought when he finally began to regain consciousness.

Everything hurt.

A weak, pathetic sounding and barely audible cry wrung itself past his cracked lips as a scorching soreness suddenly surged through his entire form, wracking his already aching body with fresh torment until he was twitching restlessly where he lay upon the soft surface of his bed, face contorting in undisguised discomfort and pain.

His chest hurt. Why did his chest hurt so much? Aku was dead, wasn't he? As far as he was aware, death wasn't supposed to hurt.

Slowly cracking his eyes open, he almost instantly shuttered them as blinding light immediately flooded his vision, blurring the world surrounding into nigh unrecognizable shapes. He wasn't trying that again, that was for certain. Not for a while anyway, just until he'd had some time to adjust. But.. he did get to glimpse one particular silhouette though... For some reason he couldn't quite name or currently even fathom it looked _very_ familiar... He definitely _knew_ to whom it belonged to.

"Sa..murai..." _God_ that was excruciating, his throat was so sore.

The human sharply looked up from where he had been staring listlessly at the far wall for what appeared to be hours on end, shock flashing briefly over his handsome features at the faint sound of those familiar, growling vocals. "Aku?!" The joy and relief in that deep voice were obvious.

An unpleasant creak of sliding wood sounded throughout the small bedroom as the human instantly leapt to his feet, abandoning the chair he'd been sitting on for over a day now and quickly placing his cup of tea back on the tiny bedside table, all but rushing to the wounded demon's side. A weak growl left the creature's dark throat as pale fingers suddenly wrapped around one of his bony shoulders with startling gentleness, lightly shaking him as a new weight settled upon the very edges of the bed beneath him, the matress dipping and swaying slightly under the other person's form. "Aku, can you hear me?"

With the almost painful ringing now assaulting his hearing, Aku found himself genuinely wishing he couldn't.

There was a soft rustle of bedsheets and blankets and suddenly a new weight settled on his other side, much lighter than the one belonging to the human warrior. Gentle, needle-like claws brushed softly against his forehead even as he instinctively cringed away from the unwanted contact, the familiar and at the same time bitter sensation of anxiety already clawing viciously at his aching insides.

The stone walls of his dirty dungeon cell flashed briefly behind his now closed eyelids.

He didn't want them to touch him, didn't want them anywhere _near_ him. Because they.. they would only hurt him again.. Torment him. Drown him. Make him feel overwhelming pain and suffering until he was begging for them to stop, pleading for them to put an end to his misery, crystalline tears pouring down his face in faint rivulets and dripping down to the dusty stone floor below.

_They would only cut into him with that accursed blade again.._

Dark, malicious laughter that for once did not belong to him echoing almost deafeningly within his bruised ears, Aku didn't even notice the distressed whimper that wrung itself past his sage colored lips, the two figures beside him instantly tensing where they sat upon the soft surface of his bed at the heartbreaking and barely audible sound. Surprisingly, it was Jack who recovered first, gently shushing him before he could become even more upset, his tender fingers wrapping lightly and supportively around the former tyrant's trembling claws, the touch kept carefully non invasive and out of the way.

It was a small comfort, if any.

"His fever has gone down, but he must still be pretty out of it," a new voice whispered from beside him, hushed and not as deep or resonating as the human warrior's, obviously feminine. The demon knew these vocals too, he knew he did, even though he currently couldn't quite remember from where. "We should let him rest."

Jack's face, lined with worry and at the same time overwhelming relief and joy, slowly swam into view as Aku forcefully cracked his eyes open once more with far more effort than he would've liked, exhaustion already seeping deep into his core, limbs heavy. "Sleep, Aku."

The former tyrant chose not to resist the other this time, even as dissapointment flooded his chest, anger and overwhelming anguish following closely at its heels.

This wasn't the sweet embrace of death. Clearly wasn't the welcoming nothingness that came with actually being dead, he knew that. No. Aku had been saved, he was alive, he could _feel_ the familiar pulse of his dark essence coursing through his veins. Could perceive the weight of the golden collar and shackles still strapped around his body, reminding him of his new place, mocking him, telling him that he had been rescued. That he had _failed_.

Had Aku not been so exhausted he would've almost certainly laughed at the irony of his situation, the truth, however bitter, being undeniably clear.

_He was alive.. Even though he desperately didn't want to be._

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

When he woke again, his mind was a lot clearer than it had been before.

His body still hurt all over, that unfortunately hadn't yet changed much, but at least it was easier for him to focus, the deafening ringing sound no longer assaulting his hearing and the sensations of the soft matress and warm blankets cocooning him in their pleasant embrace finally registering fully with his severely dulled senses.

Jack was still there with him when he finally decided to try and open his eyes once more, the samurai's form nestled comfortably in the wooden chair he'd pulled up next to the demon's bed, clearly reluctant to leave the overlord's side even for a minute. It took Aku longer than he would admit to notice the book now clasped firmly within those pale fingers, his mind still infuriatingly sluggish, his thought process - frustratingly slow. It took him even longer to register the soft warmth now encapsulating his right palm, the demon looking down at the human hand now curling with startling gentleness around his own and the tender thumb brushing soothing circles almost rhythmically over his sharp knuckles.

Aku would be lying if he said he wasn't taken aback by the discovery.

The samurai was holding him.. Offering him silent comfort even as he slept. Regardless of everything he'd done to other, in spite of all the pain and devastation he'd brought upon this world. Jack was holding him.. and he wasn't letting go.

The human must've somehow felt his gaze on his skin, sensed that he was no longer asleep, because he instantly looked up, onyx gaze meeting dull black, surprise and relief flashing quickly over his strangely youthful face once again.

"Aku..."

Aku looked away, suddenly unable to hold the other's gaze, shame coiling bitterly within his now bandaged chest as the memories of how he'd gotten here in the first place surfaced to the forefront of his mind once more.

He really _was_ a failure.. Just like Khürel had said he was. Couldn't kill the samurai after thousands of years of preparation, and now couldn't even kill _himself_ without actually being saved.. Pathetic, worthless, nothing but an embarrassment-

The sudden hug caught him completely by surprise.

"I thought..." Jack choked into the crook of his shoulder and neck and Aku shuddered as he felt several drops of some form of liquid drip onto his discolored essence, the human squeezing him tightly within the warm embrace, pressing him almost flush against the other's much stronger form. "I thought I had lost you."

Aku's breath hitched within his battered chest, the demon swallowing heavily around the sudden lump in his throat as the samurai finally forced himself to pull away, barely visible tears of happiness and relief prickling at the corners of those familiar onyx eyes and slowly trailing down the sharp cheekbones, falling to the pearlescent sheets below.

To say the demon was taken aback would be a severe understatement.

In all the years they had spent fighting each other, he had not seen Jack cry once. Not truly. At the most, he'd witnessed, caused even, tears of anger and frustration, but even those were rare and usually held back, the human refusing to break down before him, to allow Aku to see his pain. But never had he seen the other tear up out of relief. Out of _joy_.

And he especially had never expected to witness the other cry for _him_.

The door creaked open with a soft whoosh of stale air, admitting a new form into the tiny bedroom. He recognized her almost instantly this time around even as shock welled suddenly within his battered chest, dim, black eyes slowly going wide. "Satina?"

A small, relieved smile quirked at the edges of the reptile's muzzle as the woman sprang easily on to the narrow bed, the matress barely dipping or bouncing beneath her inconsiderable weight as she sat down next to him, claws hovering above him before hesitantly settling upon his lower arm, as if the creature were unsure whether or not she was permitted to touch her former lord, but was desperate to offer some form of support nonetheless.

"Master.. You're finally awake." She said, voice softer than he ever remembered hearing it. "We were worried."

'Why?', Aku couldn't help but silently ask both of them, the pitiful remains of his horns lowering and all but pressing flat against his essence, black eyes soon falling to his own claws clasped tightly within his covered lap. 'Why were you worried? Why would you ever care about _me_?'

Whichever way he tried to look at it, it simply failed to make any sense.

The demon knew now that he didn't deserve it, didn't deserve this kind of attention. Had simply done nothing to earn their compassion over the long years of his terrifying reign. Had only wrought endless pain and devastation upon all of them, even Satina, in his mad quest for power. His human captors had shown him that much at least. So why would they care about him? Why would they profess their concern for his continued survival? Why would they save him? Why wouldn't they just let him _die_ already?! Especially now that he had shown them that he desperately wanted to?

It simply failed to make any sense..

A gentle nudge against his cracked lips broke him out of his increasingly darkening thoughts and he looked up, watching in confusion and surprise as a wooden bowl was suddenly held elevated before him, Jack meeting his dark gaze head on as he cautiously edged himself even closer to the distraught and wounded demon, doing his very best not to crowd him.

"Here, drink this, Aku," he prompted the other softly, reaching out with one arm and gently propping him up, the former tyrant still far too weak to be able to move easily on his own. "It is medicine. It will make you feel better."

Too exhausted to even try and resist the other determinedly set on helping him, Aku willingly parted his jaws, weakly gulping down the lukewarm liquid now offered to him, unable to even stop himself from grimacing slightly at the sour taste.

Jack said nothing for the duration of the slow process save for a few comforting and encouraging words of praise, carefully tilting the bowl and making sure that the demon didn't choke on its contents, before setting it softly back on the tiny bedside table beside him the moment it was empty and allowing the now trembling creature to lay back against the soft pillows beneath him.

Exhaustion washing over him once more, Aku allowed himself to succumb to unconsciousness, taking comfort in the warmth and softness surrounding him on all sides.

By far the last thing he was aware of were the tender human fingers wrapping gently around his dulled claws once more.

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

Several days went by in relative peace. With the help of the demonic medicine procured by the demon's assistant and the vigilance of the samurai and their gracious hosts, Aku began to recover quickly, the deep wound steadily starting to close, the golden glow of damaged essence growing dimmer and dimmer and slowly taking on a gray hue.

The former tyrant became much more lucid with time as well, though he still remained half-conscious and confused most of the time, his previously dull and unfocused gaze becoming sharper, his eyes regaining some of their bright glow. But even so he was still very weak, very tired, barely able to move where he lay upon the soft bed due to his constant, wracking exhaustion. Actually talking to them was obviously taking up a lot of his energy as well, and so they encouraged him to rest as much as possible, only truly prompting him to speak up to make sure that he felt no discomfort or needed anything.

Both the Scotsman and his wife soon proved to be very attentive to the needs of their injured guest. Ailith in particular did everything in her power to make sure that Aku was as comfortable as possible given the circumstances, whether it was to provide him with more blankets or to offer him physical support, gently squeezing his claws or shoulders and even occasionally patting him on the head like a small child, fingers brushing all but tenderly over twitching ears. To Jack's great surprise and amusement, however, the demon never protested against such loving treatment, on the contrary, he seemed more _confused_ than opposed toward the affectionate touches, almost imperceptibly leaning into the soft gestures every time and eyes shuttering in reluctant, yet unconcealed, pleasure.

The samurai could've _sworn_ he'd heard the other purr the last time the woman had decided to show her affection.

Even Dearg, for all his promises and threats of 'beatin' saem sense' into Aku for nearly killing himself and scaring the man's wife and children, soon took to spending as much of his time as he possibly could with the injured demon, simply talking to him, telling him of perhaps the most absurd mishaps of his life in an effort to distract him from his increasingly depressing thoughts.

It was also during these particular moments that Satina would usually choose to join in, making jocular, snide remarks and radiating dry humor that more often than not led to heated bickering between the two beings, even though everyone knew it was all in good fun. Jack had already caught them drinking together one evening, the reptile failing to notice him as she was too busy describing in vivid detail all the most embarrassing situations and pranks she had ever pulled on the demon during the last two hundred years of his rule. Including apparently stranding him on a remote island notorious for its infestation of large insects and poisonous creatures. According to the reptile's recollections, Aku's screams and shouts had been hilarious and most definitely worth the generous fine that had been taken out of her next paycheck.

Not that she hadn't won more than enough money to make up for it in the betting pool set up amongst the demon's minions of course. She had predicted that Aku wouldn't even last an hour in that sort of environment.

In the end he hadn't even lasted thirty minutes.

And as such evenings soon became more and more common, Jack had to admit that such stories soon began to amaze him.

The way Satina spoke of Aku.. the way she described him.. it simply did not resemble the speech of a terrified minion, did not compute with everything Jack thought he knew about the demon he had considered a tyrant for so long. Instead, it sounded as if.. as if Satina was actually _fond_ of her occasionally negligent and absent-minded lord. Was genuinely _close_ to him rather than afraid, felt more than comfortable in his presence, to the point that they even shared jokes and played pranks upon each other. _That_ did not sound like the sort of behavior a dictator would exhibit, let alone resemble any relationship a creature of pure evil could ever have with his own servants.

Everything he'd heard, everything Satina had said pointed to a side of Aku that Jack had not ever encountered before, one that he hadn't even once seen or glimpsed. Showed him that there was more to the demon than he could have ever imagined or even _dreamed_ of.

It simply did not sound like the behavior of a wholly heartless and cruel creature...

Satina looked up from her usual spot at Aku's side as he quietly made his way into the small bedroom, politely knocking on the door to announce his presence as he did so and eyes almost instantly fixing on the demon's form. Fortunately, Aku appeared to be already awake this time around, but only just judging by the slightly unfocused look within his black eyes, the way the other increased his blinking as he tried his best (and obviously failed) to fight off his drowsiness.

Unable to stop himself from chuckling at the almost endearing sight before him, he cautiously approached the huddled creature, soon coming to stand next to the narrow bed.

The demon didn't protest as he was gently scooped up into the human's arms, probably far too sleepy and just generally too exhausted to do so, and merely grimaced in slight discomfort at the jostling, instinctively rearranging himself as much as he could within the samurai's grasp. Even so, Jack whispered a few comforting words to him regardless, a small smile pulling at the corner of his lips as a green muzzle buried itself deep into the soft folds of his gi, Aku quickly recognizing his voice and relaxing fully in his hold. The human would be lying if he said he wasn't shaken on some level by the sheer implication behind the simple action.

_The demon trusted him not to hurt him... Trusted him not to cause him any pain or suffering. And Jack would be damned before he did anything to betray that trust. Never again._

Satina, on the other hand, did not appear to be as fond of the idea of her Master being taken away.

Jack was already striding down the hallway, Aku's half-conscious form still clasped gently but firmly in his arms, when the reptile finally caught up to the two of them, green eyes bright in suspicion and alarm and fangs baring in preparation to defend her wounded leader.

"Where do you think you're taking him, _samurai_?"

"Aku needs to be washed off," the human explained to her as gently as he possibly could, doing his best not to cringe in disgust at the almost derogatory use of his proud title. An annoying habit that every minion of Aku seemed to naturally possess. "He is still covered in blood from his.. attempt. As well as dirt from travel. Now that he has gotten better, we can finally get all of that dried muck off of him." But that reasonable explanation did not seem to sit too well or satisfy their reptilian guest.

"You can do that back in the bedroom," Satina insisted, the crest adorning her triangular head flaring in alarm and open wariness, eyes never leaving her Master's form. "It is not necessary for him to be taken elsewhere to be cleaned off." Jack barely resisted the overwhelming urge to sigh.

"It will be easier to do so in the proper facilities. I can promise you that he will be returned to his bed as soon as we are done."

The reptile's eyes flashed. "And how can I trust you to keep that word? All you have ever done is try to kill him."

Guilt wrapping its cold claws around his heart at the sharp accusation, Jack looked away, jaw clenching as the memories of his past clashes with the demon flashed before his eyes once more.

He knew that he could argue that the other had been trying to kill him too. Could potentially say it was all in self-defense. Could rightfully point out that it had been _Aku_ who had started this conflict between them in the first place by burning down his village, and only served to worsen it by ripping him away from his time and flinging him far into the distant future. But... He himself wasn't completely guiltless in all of this, was he? The samurai had never even tried to understand Aku, had never tried to find a peaceful solution to their problem. Had always reacted to violence with equal violence, never stopping to think, never taking a single minute to _analyze_.

As much as he hated to admit it, Satina's worry and suspicion of him were more than justified.

"I do not intend to harm him, Satina," he quietly yet firmly told the almost frantic creature, meeting her deep emerald gaze head on, pouring as much of his conviction, of his _sincerity_ as he possibly could into his words. "Never again."

Something in his voice must've served to soothe the young woman's fears, convinced her of his genuine intentions of helping the injured demon, because she reluctantly backed off, tail twitching and muzzle scrunching up in grudging acceptance. "Very well. I will be waiting for him back in the guest room. But if I find out that you have done _anything_ to hurt or upset him, samurai, know that I _will_ be forced to retaliate tenfold."

A small smile ghosted over the human's lips. "I understand."

Huffing an amused breath, Aku's personal assistant spun around on her heel, making her way back to the tiny bedroom, the small steps of her clawed feet falling almost soundlessly against the usually creaky floorboards. Jack watched her go with a mixture of bemusement and relief, sharply looking down as the injured creature clasped gently within his arms suddenly spoke up for the first time in the duration of the entire day, voice no more than a heavy and exhausted rasp. Even so, the quiet mirth within the other's vocals was obvious.

"I must congratulate you, samurai, you have beaten my servants once again. I have never seen anyone get rid of Satina so swiftly or easily before."

The human permitted himself a small chuckle, merely pressing the demon even closer to himself as they cautiously began to make their way downstairs, onyx eyes blinking a few times to adjust to the bright sunlight streaming through the overhead windows. "She is just worried about you."

Aku let out a weak growl, face contorting in displeasure. "I am not a child."

"But you _are_ her friend and Master," Jack said reasonably, carefully rearranging the demon within his arms as he turned to enter one of the rooms. "It is normal for her to display concern for your well-being."

The other didn't sneer at his quiet words, didn't mock him for the obvious sentimentality hiding behind them like he would've under normal circumstances, merely looking away from his onyx gaze and eyes dropping to his own claws. When he spoke up again his voice was so quiet that Jack had to strain his own hearing to catch it.

"Why should she?"

The human would be lying if the whispered phrase did not make his heart clench almost to the point of pain within his broad chest.

The room they entered was small and warmly lit, the air within it almost stuffy, though Jack himself did not notice or even care much about the stark change in temperature, more than used to it after his twenty long years of constant travel. Aku, on the other hand, seemed far more susceptible to it, but was obviously too exhausted to complain, his green muzzle burying itself back into the comforting softness of the human's gi.

A large tub stood in the center of the tiny room, prepared beforehand by the Scotsman's wife at the request of the samurai and filled almost to the brim with steaming water. On the floor beside it, the man could already glimpse several different soaps and sponges stacked neatly against the wooden basin, as well as several piles of clean towels.

Testing the hot liquid within the tub with a single hand to make sure that it was indeed pleasant and not too scorching, Jack nodded to himself in silent satisfaction, softly shifting the injured demon's thin form within his hands once more and carefully starting to lower him into the clear substance-

Aku's violent reaction surprised him.

A shrill, terrified and utterly _heartbreaking_ screech left the creature's lips at the horrifying sensation of warm liquid suddenly encapsulating his body, black eyes going almost painfully wide in the tyrant's blind panic as he frantically began to thrash within the samurai's hold, water spraying everywhere with the force of his terror driven struggles. Choked and utterly _desperate_ pleas for mercy abruptly tore themselves from the demon's dark throat, crystalline tears already prickling at the corner of his eyes and swiftly trickling down, the demon doing his best to escape the seemingly benign substance around him, movements quickly growing more sharp and erratic as his fear only mounted, dark chest heaving in shallow, ragged gasps.

"Please!.. Please, don't!.."

His heart shattering into a million little pieces, Jack struggled to keep Aku still, _pleaded_ for him to calm down, tried to convince him that there was nothing to be afraid of, that it was just simple water, that no one was going to hurt him, but nothing seemed to work. If anything, his fervent assurances that everything was okay seemed to only exacerbate the former lord's terrified state, gray claws grasping desperately at the folds of his gi and holding onto them like a lifeline, a damp muzzle burying itself deep into his neck as the demon shuddered within his arms, choking and gasping out sobs into the human's shoulder.

Gently shushing the distressed creature, the samurai brushed his fingers up and down the other's dark spine, murmuring all the comforting words he could possibly think of, the look in his eyes one of all-encompassing sadness.

He didn't want to know what those people had done to instill such powerful fear of water in the formerly proud being, didn't want to know what they had done to reduce the other to _this_.

Horror and grief welled uncontrollably within his heart.

"Shhh, it is all right, Aku," he whispered soothingly into a twitching ear as he all but cradled the demon's thin form against his, entirely disregarding the way his gi stuck uncomfortably to his body, growing dark and heavy with the clear, warm liquid now drenching it completely due to the other's panicked struggles. "It is okay. I will not harm you. Hush now."

Gradually, Aku's frightened cries and pleas for mercy came to a slow halt, replaced by occasional quiet whimpers and shallow gasps for breath. His trembling lessened, though it did not stop completely, the demon still clinging tightly to the human's much stronger form, his claws nearly bruising the pale skin beneath the soft folds of Jack's clothing with the force of their tight grip. The samurai never stopped in his comforting touches, however, even with the slight pain from the other's frantic hold, whispering soothing words as he remained sat by the circular tub, allowing the wounded creature some time to adjust.

Rare, blinding anger and hatred bloomed with startling intensity within his chest.

Aku was absolutely _terrified_. Terrified of being anywhere _near_ water, terrified of the mere sensation of it against his claws, much less his whole body. To the point that he even began fighting desperately against Jack's embrace, thrashing in all-consuming panic in his desperate attempts to get out of it, to get away. And Jack, for all his shock and concern and crushing sadness, had not missed the horrifying implication behind the demon's anguished cries.

_Please stop.. I-I can't breathe!... I...I can't!.._

The reason for the tyrant's panic was very clear. The actions of his human captors - even more so.

They had probably tried to drown him. And by the sound of it: more than once.

Stomach roiling with nausea at the thought, the human cautiously pressed the injured being even closer to himself, letting out a soothing hum in the bottom of his throat as Aku shuddered heavily within his arms, claws digging almost ruthlessly into the white fabric of his gi and easily tearing right through it. Even so, he still allowed the demon to do as he pleased in spite of the way he grimaced at the faint sounds of ripping fabric, not quite looking forward to patching it up later that evening, his fingers never stopping in their soothing caresses up and down Aku's spine.

"Here," he whispered gently, carefully unwrapping the demon's claws from where they had been almost frantically tearing into his ruined clothing and instead cautiously curling them around one of his arms, giving Aku something to hold on to while he was being rinsed off. "If you feel threatened, do not hesitate to let me know or retaliate in any way you see fit." Aku's throat flexed in a heavy swallow and he gave the samurai a shallow nod, still trembling heavily against the other's form.

Heart clenching within his chest to the point of pain at the pitiful sight and sensation of the demon shuddering against him, Jack reached for the offered soap, carefully spreading it over the dark essence and washing off the thick layer of muck and dried blood still clinging tightly to its usually smooth surface. Aku tensed further beneath his touch, a low, reluctant whimper escaping his green lips as he clung even tighter to the offered arm, holding on to it with almost feral desperation, as if.. as if he would only drown without it.

Humming an old, soothing tune from a country long lost to time, the human cautiously edged himself even closer to the wooden tub, stiffening in slight surprise as the former tyrant almost frantically pressed himself against him, as if he were subconsciously trying to escape the water surrounding him, his green muzzle becoming a heavy weight against his shoulder and horns dipping to settle more or less comfortably beneath his chin, allowing the injured creature to seek comfort from his presence without hindering his movements.

It was a long time before Aku calmed down. It was even longer before he relaxed enough for his tight grip on the samurai's arm to lessen, allowing Jack a little more room to move around. Intent on distracting the demon from his crushing fear as much as possible, the human even handed him one of the offered sponges, allowing the former tyrant to kneed and claw at the unknown material, black eyes fixing on the strange offering with unconcealed confusion. The samurai couldn't hold back an amused smile at the almost _childish_ curiosity the other suddenly exhibited as he watched the former tyrant reluctantly inspect the foreign object, having never used such a thing during the course of his long life and a soft chuckle even wrung itself past Jack's lips as the demon sniffed at the small sponge, white nose twitching not unlike a cat's and the remains of his horns tilting slightly upwards, finally abandoning their spot where they had been pressed flat against the creature's dark essence.

Several minutes went by like that in peaceful silence as the human carefully washed the other off, avoiding only the areas of Aku's injured horns and face, deciding that they could be left for another time. Aku was clearly not ready to have them touched yet.

So busy was he with his new task, in fact, that he did not immediately notice that the other was speaking now, the quiet inquiry catching him completely by surprise and his onyx eyes instantly snapping down to look at the demon's hunched form, confusion flashing briefly within their dark depths. Aku suddenly wouldn't meet his gaze.

"Why did you not let me die, samurai?"

Shock washing over him in a giant wave, Jack fervently searched the demon's face, tried to understand where the question had come from, concern and sorrow swiftly blooming and battling within him. Despite the almost deafening silence between them, however, the former tyrant continued, the look in his dark eyes distant.

"You have always striven to destroy me. For over twenty years all you've ever done is try to kill me and you haven't hesitated once since our first battle those many years ago. Not once have you chosen to miss the chance of putting an end to my reign. And when you finally had your opportunity, when I finally expressed the wish to die myself, you dragged me back into this hell. Why? So I could suffer more for the sins I have committed against you? Or is it because you wish to kill me yourself?"

"No," The warrior's response was quiet, gentle and undeniably sincere, Jack's fingers stilling momentarily in their movements before hesitantly resuming, rinsing off the more stubborn patches of dirt still clinging to the other's form. An exhausted sigh left the human's lips. "It is not that at all."

Aku sent him a sideways glance, gaze quickly dropping back to his dark claws and the soft sponge now clasped within them, bony shoulders hunching further in barely palpable distress.

"Then what _is_ it, samurai?.."

The human did not answer him immediately, reluctantly looking away from his former enemy as he was suddenly quite at a loss for words.

That was a good question. Why _did_ he want to help Aku? Why _did_ he do his best to save him when he found him bleeding out on the bedroom's floor? He could've most definitely ended this conflict had he not rushed forth, had he simply chosen to walk away.. Could've used the demon's demise to locate a time portal and finally go back in time unhindered. So why-?

"I.. could not allow things to end this way." He said at last, suddenly unable to meet the demon's gaze. "Not... Not now that I finally understand just how mistaken I really was. How _blind_ I willingly chose to be to the truth so clearly laid out before me."

Aku looked up, surprise flashing briefly over his beastly features. Jack remained grim.

"For a long time, I believed you to be the ultimate evil. The cause behind all the suffering and devastation plaguing this world, the source of the darkness growing within innocents' hearts and poisoning their minds. And due to my anger, my hatred for you and what you have done by flinging me into the distant future.. I had forgotten that I had seen such darkness within other creatures before. Mortal creatures, people, _humans_. Those that were not under your rule." A dark room flashed before the samurai's eyes, illuminated only by a single window. His mother's arms were a soft weight against his shoulders, trembling and light, desperately trying to pull him away from the damaged door. Blood, warm and sticky, sprayed through the small cracks, coating his face, the bright crimson a stark contrast against the muted colors of their carriage.

Yes... He _had_ seen evil before. One entirely unrelated to Aku's.

"But.. after seeing what those people had done to you... After hearing the way Satina speaks of you... I... I finally _understand_ what I have been missing all these years, Aku.I finally see the _truth_." The demon looked up, finally meeting his gaze. Jack did not look away this time, desperate to show the former tyrant his sincerity, desperate to pour even a fraction of what he was truly feeling into his words. To make Aku _see_.

"You are not the heartless creature of pure evil that I have always believed you to be, Aku. And I cannot allow you to suffer the consequences of my own arrogant ignorance."

The sudden sensation of water splattering against his face and drenching the already damp front of his gi caught him completely by surprise.

Aku shook his hand dry from where he had slammed it against the sud covered surface of the previously clear liquid, successfully splashing and soaking his long time enemy from head to toe, the look on his face one of familiar and yet no longer disdainful mockery.

"You really _are_ a fool, sa-mu-rai."

Choking in indignation, the human retaliated by doing the same, the two of them soon finding themselves in the midst of an intense splashing battle, Aku's deafening, no longer malicious or monstrous laughter echoing within the confines of the small room for the first time in over a year, soon joined by the human warrior's.

Even though what they were now doing was completely strange and, dare he say it, _absurd_, Jack allowed himself to relish in this first heart lifting moment they had, permitted himself to temporarily forget the worries and troubles plaguing him for so long, eagerly splashing back at Aku and enjoying the way the demon grinned back at him, his gray chest heaving with the force of his joyous guffaws, his crushing depression and ever festering anguish appearing to be momentarily forgotten.

And thus, the sudden exclamation of a foreign, almost high-pitched and utterly feminine voice caught them both entirely by surprise.

"What is going _on_ in here?!"

Turning sharply to face the unexpected newcomer, the human unknowingly avoided the newest splash of water sent his way, the liquid spraying past him and drenching the reptile's form from head to toe, green eyes going almost comically wide.

All three of them went deathly still in shock at the sudden development, the only sounds filling the steamy room becoming the pitter-patter of droplets trickling down the woman's form, dripping from her soaked and now drooping crest and triangular muzzle and falling to the wooden floor beneath them.

Surprisingly, it was Aku who broke the silence first, unable to stop himself from letting out a chuckle that quickly swelled into full bodied laughter, leaning heavily against the samurai's gi clad shoulder, eyes slowly sliding shut in his mirth. Jack soon found himself joining him once more, his shock and guilt swiftly giving way to his amusement until he was shaking where he kneeled beside the wooden tub, watching as Aku's stuck-up assistant scrambled to pull herself together in this highly undignified situation, nearly squawking at the two of them in her indignation.

'I really should kill them,' Satina thought, glaring at the two _apparently_ grown men, as they laughed their asses off at the mere sight of her dripping form, her narrowed green eyes finally settling on Aku's bent-over figure.

'But at least.. Aku seems to be feeling a lot better.'


	16. Chapter 16

The night was a quiet one.

Pale moonlight filtered through the small window of the guest bedroom, casting long shadows across the cozy space and bathing it in its cold glow. Nothing stirred within the confines of the darkened building. Only the curtains draped over the small window would sway with the force of a faint breeze every little while, rustling quietly in the otherwise peaceful silence that had long since fallen upon the two inhabitants of the tiny room, merely adding to the quiet lull rather than serving to disturb it.

Satina shifted slightly where she lay upon the soft sheets, her triangular muzzle settling lightly and comfortably upon the demon's covered midsection and a heavy sigh wringing itself past her pursed lips as the hours slowly, relentlessly ticked by, the reptile unable to lose herself within the blissful unconsciousness that came with slumber.

Aku, on the other hand, was sleeping peacefully for once, she noted. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't somewhat relieved by that fact. He'd been having quite a lot of problems with doing that recently. Nightmares plagued his dreams, terrorizing him incessantly with a different sort of pain, a brand new sort of suffering. As if his physical agony and anguish weren't enough. As if the dark memories viciously assaulting him during his every waking moment were no longer sufficient. Even sleep, by far the last refuge the former tyrant still had to himself, was now slowly being taken away from him, stolen, just like everything else he had used to possess.

Not that he hadn't suffered from such dreams before, of course. Satina could recall multiple occasions during her short service when she'd seen the demon absolutely exhausted, having gone several nights without decent rest due to his haunting nightmares. Plagued by dark recollections of being attacked right after birth, of being trapped in a barren wasteland in the form of some gnarly tree, unable to move, unable to use his abilities, unable to do anything to get himself out of his mortifying situation-

But the difference between now and then was that Akua had always been there to calm him, to pull him back into reality. Aku had never gone out of his way to seek her comfort, to directly summon her whenever his past terror managed to get the best of him and he hadn't really required to because the medic had always known when he needed her without being told, had instinctively sensed when the tyrant was in trouble and in need of her help.

Aku always denied such moments, of course. Out of pride, out of spite, out of the need to preserve his image, to continue painting himself as an omnipotent and entirely cruel being, one to whom such pitiful and weak emotions as fear, sorrow or vulnerability of all things were completely alien and unknown. He wasn't human, after all, wasn't mortal.

But even so, the calming effects of the Bakeneko's presence were all too clear. After all, Akua probably understood his pain better than anyone else around here really did.

They didn't always seek physical comfort from each other, that much was true. Simply had no real need to do so. More often that not Aku even ended up snarling angrily at her, vexed by her concern and radiating hostility while she stood in the shadows and looked calmly on, the demon lord loathing the fact that someone could actually pick up on his barely palpable distress, actually knew that he needed support. But the way Aku instantly relaxed when he sensed that she was near, the way his shoulders immediately fell from their stiff hold and the residual tension bled out of his gigantic form spoke volumes of his genuine feelings towards the cat-like being.

During those few times when his memories were being especially vivid, Akua would usually abandon her spot by the wall, taking over the meeting if they were in one with the excuse that Aku had better, far more important duties to attend to than the civilian's lowly problems and thus all petty grievances should be aired to her instead. When they were alone, or at least thought they were, they would exchange a few growled words, ones Satina could not yet understand but knew belonged to one of their more common demonic dialects, Akua's voice becoming far more melodious, not as deep or rasping as when she was speaking human language and Aku's becoming much rougher in contrast, the tyrant grimacing as he was forced to speak in the tongue he'd had so much trouble learning despite his natural-born curiosity and thirst for knowledge.

Very rarely they would express support through physical touch. In fact, Satina was quite sure that all the instances in which they had shared something more than a few sentences could be counted on two hands. Though demons were surprisingly tactile and relied largely not only on sounds and smells and smallest gestures but on touch as well, Aku never seemed too comfortable with expressing his affection that way and Akua never asked or forced him to, all too glad to keep her distance if it made the other feel more at ease. When the demon did permit her approach, however, finding himself suddenly desperate for some support despite his pride and wounded ego, the cat-like demon would usually brush her cheek fur gently against the dark essence of his forearm, the gesture normally accompanied by tender and quiet purring and twitching ears to sign her delight, turquoise markings emanating a soft, soothing glow.

Despite himself, Aku would instantly relax at the pleasant caress, the dark memories once again plaguing his thoughts returning to the back of his mind where they no doubt belonged and his green muzzle contorting in grudging gratitude as he looked down at one of his closest minions.

He would later hiss and snarl at Akua and her incessant coddling, of course, but they all knew it was only for show as he would instantly lower himself to her level if she was willing to give him a scratch behind the ears, black eyes shuttering in reluctant pleasure and delight. Something that both the reptile and the cat-like demon still found endlessly amusing about their arrogant and independent (or so he claimed) lord.

But.. Akua wasn't here anymore, and Aku was even worse off than when he'd been trapped within that accursed tree, robbed of almost everything that had made him, well, him. And no matter how much he might call for her, as the samurai had said he had, she would not be able to answer him, even though she no doubt desperately wanted to.

The samurai.

Satina's lips curled in barely contained anger, baring the sharp, pearly tips of her needle like fangs and emerald eyes narrowing in thought and at the same time simmering hate.

She couldn't say she trusted him, even after witnessing the way he was treating Aku. Couldn't exactly say that she forgave him for what he'd done, even though she could potentially see where he was coming from. He was nothing more than a fanatic, after all, an ignorant pawn in the late Emperor's hands, blissfully blind to the intricacies, the sheer controversies of this world. It wasn't his fault really, she knew that. He was purposefully raised that way, his own father hiding his crimes from his offspring in hopes of saving his own hide in the future. Especially for the time when karma finally came around to bite him in the ass.

But... After watching him closely for these past several days.. Satina could tell that something within the human had changed. That something had finally made him think.

The wooden floorboards hardly creaked beneath her weight as she slipped silently from the narrow bed, the sheets giving off an almost ghostly glow in the pale moonlight, highlighting the thin form settled comfortably upon it.

Giving her Master's claws one last comforting squeeze, the woman pushed aside the heavy mahogany door of the small room, stepping out into the darkened hallway of the Scotsman's house. One she never in her life would've imagined she'd ever end up visiting.

Just as she had expected, the human was still stubbornly remaining seated upon the polished floor next to the demon's bedroom, his arms wrapped around his legs and onyx eyes fixed on nothing in particular, the man evidently lost in deep thought. She hadn't allowed him to sleep inside with her and Aku, still far too wary of him and worried about sending her former lord into a panic if he happened to wake during the night and see his former enemy lying on the floor beside them, his mind still clouded with sleep. But Jack had still been reluctant to leave the two of them alone, even for the night, and had thus resigned himself to sleeping outside in the corridor, ready to jump in and help at any moment.

After hearing his recollections of finding the demon bleeding out and practically at death's door, Satina couldn't say she really blamed him for being that overly cautious or worried.

If he hadn't decided to check on the other back then, if he hadn't bothered himself to do so, then Aku would probably be...

Stifling a heavy sigh, the reptile leaned against the cold wall herself, her arms crossing tightly and tensely over her scaled chest.

Silence, icy and heavy, fell between them, both creatures lost in deep thought, both reluctant to trust the other and both realizing with great annoyance that some agreement had to be made between them. That something in their currently uneasy relationship had to change. If they were to work together on this, of course.

Surprisingly, it was the warrior who gave in to the other first.

"Do you hate me, Satina?"

Caught entirely unawares by the odd question, the reptile merely raised a single eyebrow ridge, tilting her triangular muzzle subtly in his direction. "Hate is a rather strong word, samurai, don't you think?"

A shadow of a smile flickered briefly over the other's face.

"Please, call me Jack."

This time she did bare her fangs at him, unable to hold her deep-seated anger towards him completely at bay. "We are notthat close, samurai."

The human flinched at the unexpected hostility, the movement quick and all but invisible in the deep shadows that had long since fallen upon the large building, and Satina felt a sharp twinge of guilt within her chest, one that she made sure to quickly smother. He did not deserve her apology, after all. But even so, when she spoke again, her voice was much softer than it had been before, significantly more gentle. Almost apologetic. "But no, I cannot say I do. If anything, I prefer to describe it as 'possessing a strong feeling of dislike' towards you. And nothing else."

An amused huff left the man's lips at the sound of the dry humor in her voice, his inky black hair spilling over his shoulders in gentle waves and a small smile pulling at the corners of his mouth once more. "That is a far more elegant way to put it, I will admit." The reptile shot him a faintly mischievous glance.

"It's what I do best, samurai."

"But then, why do you not hate Aku as well?" And just like that, the humor between them was gone, replaced by the grim seriousness of their situation, dark, onyx eyes meeting poison green.

"If you hate me because I am an invader, a person set on mercilessly destroying your world, why do you not experience that same anger towards Aku as well? Why do you only profess your dislike towards me?"

A heavy sigh left Jack's lips as he shifted, settling more comfortably against the hard surface of the wall behind him as he peered out of the single window across from them, his face illuminated by the dim and meager light the night provided.

"I have.. overheard what little you have told Dearg of your.. history. About how Aku invaded your world, how he enslaved you and your people. How he demolished your culture and nature, poisoned the planet inside out with his horrendous cities and factories. And yet you.. you almost worship him regardless, openly speak of your loyalty to the very creature who brought you nothing but misery. Why? What makes Aku's actions so different from mine, to the point that I deserve your loathing and he does not?"

"Because Aku wasn't destroying, or dismantling worlds, samurai," Satina stated simply, the look in her green eyes cold. "He was building."

Jack shot her a sharp look, the expression in his eyes one of silent questioning, but the reptile was no longer looking at him, her attention directed elsewhere.

When she spoke again, her voice betrayed only her bone-deep exhaustion.

"You have to understand, samurai, where I was born people looked down upon the mere possibility of developing, of pushing our race somewhere, to some unseen goal. Though we already possessed intelligence, consciousness, the ability to thinkand analyze and draw conclusions, few of us were truly willing to see farther than our own needs. To actually start doing something to develop a real civilization."

A bitter chuckle left the woman's lips.

"Survival is your greatest priority. That's the first and by far only thing I was ever taught by the person you humans usually refer to as a mother. And that is exactly the only principal that our species of shikichi ever lived by. Survive, live, never allow yourself to be distracted by other matters." Satina broke off, sensing that her voice was becoming tight with anger, the reptile willing herself to remain emotionless as ever, reluctant to show the human sitting beside her anything he could later use to his advantage. As he undoubtedly would. He was a smart man, one that undeniably had a knack for locating opponents' weak spots.

It was one of the things that made him far more dangerous than most.

"Our race became stagnant in its evolution, samurai. We weren't changing our ways. Weren't going to change them. We weren't about to start moving forward. Those that dared to explore the world surrounding us, that actually tried to uncover its many secrets, were usually shunned, in some cases - killed. But.. even if we had started to develop, it would've been hundreds if not a couple thousand years before we reached even the most primitive levels of technological prowess. If it were not for Aku, we would've still been little more than glorified beasts scrounging away in the forests, fighting with everything we had just to stay alive another day." Sharp, needle-like fangs flashed in the dim light of the moonlit night.

"If it were not for him, I would still be slaving away in the dust, in the dirt, looking up at the distant sky above me and realizing that I would never achieve anything of true value in my long and boring life, stuck and forced to live pointlessly. Like an animal, unable to use my nature-given intelligence for anything really useful."

A bitter smile flashed over Satina's face.

"With his plans of conquering and colonizing my planet, Aku actually indirectly saved my life. He gave me a chance at education, at development, allowed me to visit other worlds that I never would have laid eyes upon otherwise. He actually gave me something to live for, samurai, a purpose, some meaning. And I don't ever intend to forget that."

"He enslaved you," Jack argued with her quietly, voice kept forcefully soft, but even so, the woman still sensed the steely edge to it, the held back, age-old anger. "He forced you to work for him. Made you defile your own home and mercilessly slaughtered your own people. How can you advocate something like that? How can you ever forgive or make yourself overlook such atrocities just because he ended up indirectly helping you in the end? How can you be so-" The man broke off, lips pursing and the knuckles of his fingers going white around his own shoulders with the force of his tight grip.

For the first time in a very long while, the reptile allowed herself a genuine smile. "Heartless?"

The human forced himself to look away, refusing to meet her gaze. Even so, the shallow nod was obvious.

"Because I don't really see anything wrong with it."

Now that instantly grasped the samurai's attention, his head snapping back and towards the reptilian creature standing beside him, onyx eyes wide.

"What?"

Satina shrugged, the look on her face one of aloof detachment, her entire appearance giving away her lack of care, the sheer absence of passion about the entire matter. Something that Jack, for the life of him, could not fully comprehend.

"You must understand, samurai, I was raised in very different conditions than those that you yourself grew up in. You always had everything handed to you on a silver platter compared to me. If you desire proof of that fact, just think of all the years you spent in travel, training yourself to come face to face with Aku in combat. Very few people turned you away did they not? Most agreed to teach you everything they could, either because they were friendly with your father, or because they were sympathetic to your quest. I, in contrast, never had such opportunities, everything I ever achieved came with a heavy price. We are a resilient species, samurai, what were a few years of hard labor compared to the chance of standing on the shoulders of giants? Practically nothing. It was, surprisingly, a very small price to pay for most of us. As for the slaughter of my people.."

Here Satina allowed herself another small smirk.

"Let us just say that none of us were really much attached to one another. It was simply not part of our.. culture, did you put it? Even before Aku each of us was taught to care only for ourselves first and foremost. There were no such things as love, or care, or family. Fathers left the nest as soon as their selected mates for the season were in no need of assistance, most of the time even earlier than that, and mothers booted their brood out the door the moment they showed they were capable of a successful hunt. There was never any attachment, and honestly most of us youngsters were happy to see those old bastards go. They were the ones who had kept us from growing as a race for so long, they were the ones who were willing to do everything they possibly could to keep us living in the dirt like animals. Aku at least had enough decency in him to force them to do something useful before their deaths for once. We probably would've ended up simply killing them."

Jack balked at the simple cruelty of her off-handed statement.

"You.. you cannot possibly think that way!"

Satina watched him carefully. "And why not, samurai? It is the way I was raised, my culture as you so gracefully put it. Why do you not accept it? Why do you forbid me to follow it? Why do you not respect the differences of our ways? What makes you so sure that your way of thinking is the only correct one?"

"Because mine is based on honor," the human said heatedly, the look in his eyes one of burning conviction. "Mine does not permit the death of innocents for your own personal benefit. Mine values all life, teaches you to protect those who cannot do so themselves, to respect everyone. Whatever crimes you might think your parents have committed against you does notgive you the right to allow them to be slaughtered, much less to kill them yourself! It does not permit you to allow others to be murdered without reason, all because you think they were the same as those who had wronged you! My beliefs are what separates me from mindless creatures of hate and cruelty and evil. Creatures like-"

Jack broke off before he could quite finish, onyx eyes going almost imperceptibly wide at what he had been about to say, the full horror of what he'd unknowingly implied finally catching up with his exhausted mind.

"Aku?" Satina finished for him dryly that same bitter and humorless smirk ghosting over the corner of her lips once more, voice calm and almost stony. "That is what you meant to say, was it not?"

The samurai looked away, suddenly finding himself unable to meet her gaze. His fingers tightened even more around the pale folds of his gi, baring the old jagged tears that had been made by Aku's panicked struggles at some point during the first few weeks of their travel and which the human had not yet had the time or opportunity to patch up.

"And therein lies our disagreement, samurai. The problems I have with your ideology. In my world it would have gotten me killed. In fact, it would have lead to my demise in many worlds, not just the one I was born in. And just because I do not follow it, because I was not raised to follow it, because I do not understand, much less accept it, I, along with so many others, am immediately painted as 'evil'. As something that is to be exterminated for the good of everyone else. And yet you still claim to 'respect' everyone, to 'value' all life. Tell me, is it not somewhat hypocritical of you to say one thing and yet do the complete opposite?"

"Aku has killed hundreds, no, thousands, even millions of people, Satina!" The human warrior finally snapped, rising angrily to his feet and towering over the much smaller creature, onyx eyes glistening in the dim light with unshed tears of frustration and old grief. "Are you seriously trying to excuse all those atrocities?! Are you genuinely trying to convince me right now that those actions were not abominable?! Is that where this conversation is leading to?!"

"Do not put words into my mouth, samurai," the reptile hissed back with equal fury, eyes flashing in the dim light of the darkened hallways. "What I am trying to tell you here is that nothing is as simple as you make it out to be! Aku may have done many terrible things, I do not deny or excuse that, but he has also accomplished many good deeds as well! My life and gratitude to him are sufficient proof of that! What I am saying is that you have little right to judge him, to classify him as 'pure evil' while you hide behind your ideology, paint yourself as a hero, despite the fact that you and your family have done so many detestable things in the past as well!"

The woman broke off to take a deep, steadying breath.

When she spoke again her voice was calm and quiet, carefully controlled.

"Nothing is ever just black and white in this world. And there is simply no such thing as pure evil, however much you wish to believe otherwise. That is what I've been trying to tell you, what Aku has been trying to make you see this whole time."

Sighing heavily, the reptile turned to face the other fully, green eyes hooded with exhaustion and at the same barely concealed contempt. "That is also why I dislike you, samurai. Because you knowingly refuse to see the world for what it really is, and label those who disagree with you as creatures made of pure evil." Satina's lips quirked in a grim sort of smile. "But... Like father, like son I suppose. Nothing you can really do about it in retrospect."

Jack's onyx eyes narrowed into tiny slits of confusion and rising anger. "What do you mean by that, Satina?"

Sensing that they were getting nowhere and that speaking up now would only lead to another argument, one that could be easily avoided, the reptile shook her head, reaching for the smooth handle of the bedroom door, ready to rejoin her sleeping master. "Nevermind that, samurai. Now, will you be joining us, or are you going to sit on the cold floor for the whole night? Can't imagine it's too comfortable, even a wooden chair is a far more pleasant alternative." She glanced at him from the corner of her poison green eyes. "But then again... You are known for even finding a pile of boulders suitable objects to rest against."

Surprise flashed briefly over the human's face at the unexpected offer, almost instantly replaced by suspicion and lingering fury. Even so, his concern for the demon and the hope of being allowed to stay at his side were obvious. "You are inviting me inside? I thought you did not trust me."

Satina shot him a sharp look.

"I don't, believe me. But.." Here she appeared to hesitate, some unknown emotion flickering over her face, there and gone before the human warrior could even try to identify it, needle-like claws clenching tighter around the door's handle. "For whatever reason, Aku does, and he seems to feel better whenever you are near. So for his sake at least, I will do my best to tolerate your presence. Believe it or not, samurai, we are currently in the same boat and I do not have any desire to fight you even though I might dislike you. Let's try and understand each other here, hm? For him."

Sighing, the human reluctantly nodded in silent agreement, rising slowly to his feet and grimacing at the wracking ache that instantly radiated up his spine from the uncomfortable position he'd been sitting in for the past several hours, moving to enter the small room behind her.

"Very well. Lead the way, Satina."

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

Aku wasn't eating again.

To be completely honest, Jack couldn't say he really blamed him. Dearg's traditional Scottish food was difficult to stomach even on a good day, but when you were busy recovering from what would've undoubtedly been a mortal wound? Coupled with several other stab wounds that had only begun to heal before the suicide attempt? The task became next to impossible.

No, it wasn't the fact itself that the demon wasn't eating that worried Jack. It was the reason behind it.

Aku was staring out of the single window now, had been for the past hour. At this angle, Jack couldn't really see the demon's face, much less glimpse the no doubt haunted look still glistening within those dark eyes. But even so, the samurai knew what the other was probably thinking about. There was only one thing that the former lord could think about nowadays..

The wind whistled sharply outside, the branches of surrounding trees bobbing up and down and occasionally colliding against the small bedroom window, smearing the clear water that had only begun to rain from the darkened clouds above mere minutes ago.

Even though he knew the rustling and cracking sounds of tree branches and leaves were largely thanks to the storm currently going on outside, Jack couldn't help but get the feeling that the surrounding trunks were actually.. speaking to them. Reaching out to the wounded demon trapped inside the building and far out of their reach, desperate to offer whatever comfort they possibly could to a creature who had once been one of them so long ago now.

Heaving a heavy sigh, he put aside his own half-eaten plate, suddenly losing what little appetite he had had to begin with and instead taking a small sip of his near scorching tea, onyx eyes never straying from Aku's hunched form.

The demon had shifted during the few minutes that the samurai had been lost in thought, stretching out easily now that Satina was no longer taking up the entire area at the foot of the bed, obviously enjoying the extra space. To Jack's great surprise, however, Aku never voiced any true complaints whenever the lizard came to settle next to him besides the occasional irritated growl, shoving lightly at her with a clawed foot to get her to move over, the self-proclaimed assistant hissing at him in retaliation but doing as she was told nonetheless.

The former tyrant had later explained to the baffled human that there was simply no point in arguing with her in order to get her to sleep elsewhere. In the end, Satina would always do what she thought was best and if that meant staying to watch her injured Master 24/7 then she would. Complaints and glares be damned. Allowing her to do as she pleased spared the other an intense headache.

But Satina wasn't here at the moment, gone on her periodic trips outside the protection of the Scotsman's home. None of them knew where she went exactly besides the fact that she never strayed too far from the building itself, scouring the nearby woods for possible game or snatches of conversations from oblivious hikers. Worried and still somewhat suspicious of her motives, Jack had followed her a few times, only to wind up with nothing and to return to the large house ruffled and significantly covered in dirt, stray leaves and twigs sticking out of his black locks of hair and gi.

Idly, he had to wonder if she knew that he'd been following her, although how would be a great mystery. He was trained by the best in the art of stealth, after all.

Heaving another heavy and worn-out sigh, the man stared into the amber depths of his black tea, watching the dark leaves swim lazily within the warm colored substance and draw elegant patterns into the mirror-like surface.

Aku still wouldn't look at him, lost in deep and likely depressing thoughts, his black eyes now falling to his covered lap and the dull claws clasped tightly within it. The cold glimmer of golden shackles just barely peaked out from beneath the edges of the clean bandages that had been rewrapped around the other's arms, the demon having recently been caught clawing at them during what appeared to be another highly distressing nightmare. One that only Jack had been able to pull the other out of.

The wails of the howling wind and pouring rain only grew in volume as the minutes slowly ticked by, but neither of them were too disturbed by it, far too busy focusing on their own problems to care.

The sight of the transparent droplets splattering against the chilly windowpane did remind Jack of something though, a small smile pulling at the corners of his lips as an idea suddenly bloomed within his mind.

He'd been able to lift Aku's spirits back in that wooden tub, when the demon had been surrounded by water that he feared so much. Surely he could do the same now. Even if the method he would eventually end up using was less than.. conventional. To say the least.

Memories of playing with the baby he'd accidentally stumbled upon in that peach orchard during his long travels flashed before his eyes.

Perhaps Aku would be just as receptive to such methods as little 'Momotaro' had been.

With that thought in mind, he brought the cup of tea back to his lips, tilting the delicate object until the liquid was just barely brushing against his mouth.. and blew.

Aku sharply looked up at the sudden, loud sounds of bubbling water, his black eyes fixing on the human's form in a questioning (and at the same time quite alarmed) stare, ears twitching and pressing flat against the smooth surface of his skull in palpable confusion.

"What... Are you doing, samurai?" Despite the other's obvious incredulity, the smile in that deep voice was all too obvious.

Jack pretended not to hear him, fighting to keep his own delighted grin from spreading across his face and instead remained as serious as possible as he continued to blow bubbles into the amber colored liquid, filling the small room with the almost indecent (there was simply no other way to describe it) sounds of bubbling substance.

From the corner of his eyes, he could just barely glimpse the demon openly smiling now, green lips involuntarily curling in an amused grin and black eyes brightening, finally losing their dull and glassy look completely.

"What foolishness is this?"

Dark claws scrabbled at his shoulder and he leaned away, no longer able to keep himself from grinning as well and continuously blowing into the warm liquid, warmth flooding his chest at the faint sounds of laughter within the other's vocals as Aku reached for the cup clasped tightly within his fingers and tried to pull it away, all the while fighting to keep himself from chortling, his gray chest heaving with the force of his quiet chuckles.

"Samurai, stop."

Blowing a few more times and enjoying the way the demon clawed more insistently at his arms, claws reaching for the cup of tea grasped securely within his pale hands in order to yank it away, ears twitching in what Jack had already learned to recognize as delight and the same jagged, but not at all unpleasant grin spreading uncontrollably across his green face, he finally drew himself away from the warm tea, turning to face the chortling lord instead.

Idly, he had to note to himself that he rather liked the sound of Aku's laughter. When it wasn't malicious or filled with savage joy at the sight of suffering that is.

"Is something the matter, Aku?" He asked as calmly as he possibly could, just barely managing to keep the broad smile off his face, his tone almost coming off as teasing.

The demon shoved him with surprising gentleness, not hard enough to get him to spill his drink but just strong enough for the action to be felt, black eyes twinkling with unconcealed mirth. "Fool," he muttered, settling back comfortably against the multiple pillows cushioning his form, smirking as the human beside him sputtered with feigned indignation at the insult.

Setting his cup of tea aside, the samurai reached for the demon's untouched and abandoned bowl, taking the silver colored spoon into his fingers and gathering up the still warm broth, carefully holding it up in front of Aku without spilling.

The former tyrant sent him a withering look, muzzle scrunching up in disgust at the mere sight and smell of the brownish liquid and swimming vegetables.

"Eat, Aku," Jack prompted gently yet sternly, leaning forward and bringing the spoon even closer to the former tyrant, onyx eyes becoming serious. "You need to eat."

The demon's lips curled in a snarl of disgust and great reluctance, but one look at the man's face seemed to be enough to convince him that the human would pry open his jaws and forcefully pour the broth down his throat in the event that he continued to resist, and so, rather wisely, chose to take the less painful route, allowing the samurai to approach him with the offered food.

Had he not been so busy trying to actually feed the other, Jack would've almost certainly took this opportunity to chuckle at the startling way the other's behavior resembled that of a fussy child.

An irritated growl left the tyrant's lips as the warrior pulled the spoon out of his reach when he tried to grasp at it with his dark claws, mouth pulling into an unamused glower. "I thought you wanted me to eat, samurai." The human allowed himself a small, cheeky grin.

"I did not specify how, did I?"

Aku gaped at him, fury and indignation and horror flashing over his face all at once at the sheer implication behind the human's words and Jack couldn't stop himself from openly laughing this time if he tried, broad shoulders shaking beneath the soft fabric of his gi. The former tyrant, on the other hand, failed to see the humor in his own predicament.

"I-I am perfectly capable of feeding myself!" He protested, black eyes wide and pale fangs flashing in the dim light of the somewhat darkened room. The man sitting beside him only shot the demon's shaking claws a pointed look, slowly lifting his utterly unimpressed gaze to meet Aku's, a single dark brow rising in quiet reproach.

Aku sagged where he sat propped up by the numerous pillows, ears held low and tense and muzzle contorting in a small unhappy grimace. If Jack didn't know better, he'd say that the other was almost.. sulking.

Smiling softly in barely concealed amusement and relief at the return of the other's overly dramatic mannerisms, the human lifted the spoon to the demon's lips once more, Aku very reluctantly parting his jaws for him and clamping them around the metallic silverware with a little more force than was strictly necessary, looking like he was in great pain all the while.

Try as he might, Jack couldn't quite stop himself from warily watching the other whenever he fed him another spoonfull, his onyx eyes seeming to be automatically drawn to the sight of those sharp, curved and overlapping fangs so close, so near to his pale digits, some easily exceeding in length and thickness that of any of his own fingers.

He'd never seen them in this much detail. Never got a very good look at them during their clashes and so had never quite experienced the terror the mere sight of them brought with it, his hands shaking imperceptibly as every instinct instantly began to scream at him to get away.

It would be so very easy for the demon to rip out large chunks of his pale flesh with those teeth... If he ever decided to do so, that is.

Aku seemed to notice his stare, because a small smirk played at the corners of his green lips, the former tyrant making sure to flash his fangs far more than was perhaps really necessary as he ate, but.. The human suddenly realized that it was not only wariness and fear that were prompting him to suddenly pay so much attention to them. No, if anything, he was also driven by.. fascination.

He hadn't really had the time to truly study Aku's appearance during their numerous heated clashes. Neither had he even been remotely interested in doing so while visiting one of the many large cities, those where you could usually glimpse the demon's commercials splattered practically around every corner. It was only now that he got to truly examine the other's looks, up close and personal and without immediate threat of violence, his onyx eyes suddenly appearing to be unable to tear themselves away from the other's green face.

Aku wasn't hideous. That he realized almost instantly. No, he was not at all as repulsive in the animalistic sort of sense as he had imagined for so long, the dark memory of seeing him towering over his burning village forever ingrained within his mind. Just like a dog or a cat for example could not be called repellent in their appearance, neither could the demon himself be really classified as such. Despite the sharp fangs, the forked tongue and beastly muzzle giving off the appearance of a mixture of several animal features being present at once, Jack knew that he wasn't repulsed, not even close. Instead, he almost found such characteristics.. endearing, in their own special way. When he wasn't being snarled or growled at, that is.

But even though he'd never seen Aku's face in great detail right up until this moment, the blemishes left from his time spent in captivity were not at all that difficult to spot.

A small scar, pale green and barely visible, marred the underside of the demon's right eye, as if highlighting its curvature and stretching almost all the way to the other's cheek, joining the two cuts already existing there. Jack did his best not to wonder about the possible meaning behind its placement, stomach roiling with nausea at the mere thought that they had perhaps tried to gouge one of the tyrant's eyes out while he'd still been able to regenerate, or at least threatened to. He really hoped it was only the latter.

Several more scars, even more difficult to spot than the ones on the other's cheek, turned out to be present in the corners of the demon's mouth, considerably tinier, but undeniably present nonetheless. Anger welled within the human's chest at the mere sight of them. He knew from personal experience just how painful being cut in that particular area actually was.

Aku's 'beard' was also much shorter than he ever remembered it being though he could no longer tell if it had been cut or if the demon had just willed it to be so, having finally grown tired of its cumbersome effects and thus bringing it to a more manageable length.

There were many other scars scattered across what little he could see of the other's neck, shoulders and arms, but he forced himself not to pay attention to them for the time being, softly placing the now empty dish back on the bedside table and helping the injured creature to settle more comfortably against the pillows, Aku grimacing in slight pain at all the jostling, dark claws bracing themselves against his bandaged chest.

The human didn't even notice that he was suddenly moving until he felt something warm against his palm, his hand gently cupping the other's jaw and thumb subconsciously tracing the small mark left beneath the former tyrant's eye, jaw clenching in suppressed anger and sorrow. Aku shot him an alarmed look at the unexpected touch, ears twitching and flattening against his skull in a tense manner, but surprisingly did not pull away, allowing Jack to touch him even though he was now watching him carefully, open wariness evident in every line of his body and claws curling in preparation of striking out if the situation called for it, digging slightly into the soft blankets beneath him.

"I'm sorry," Jack suddenly found himself whispering, voice choked and quiet, barely more than a whisper, features contorting in unconcealed pain, the turmoil of emotions he'd carefully kept back and hidden for the past several weeks finally pouring forth, the human no longer able to fully control them. He didn't quite know what he was apologizing for, didn't know what he was actually trying to tell the other, to convey. But he could not stop the apologies from pouring past his lips regardless, tiny and barely visible tears prickling at the corners of his eyes.

Satina's words echoed bitterly within his ears.

"I'm sorry.."

He couldn't agree with everything the reptile had told him. Not fully. Couldn't accept cruelty with the same ease and lack of care that she had, as if it were no more than a neccessary and, frankly, unavoidable part of life. Would never truly be able to accept the murder of others, or fully forgive Aku for what he had done to his home. But... He could perhaps begin to understand. Could finally teach himself to see. Understanding was not the same as forgiveness, after all. And there was indeed no such thing as 'the ultimate evil'. It simply did not exist in its purest form and never truly did, despite his late father's assurances. Not even in Aku.

"I'm sorry."

Even though he offered no explanation about what he was trying to say, Aku seemed to understand what he was telling him regardless.

A surprised breath wrung itself past the human's lips as the demon cautiously leaned into his tender touch, black eyes still watching him closely but losing some of their alarmed edge, dark shoulders sagging and abandoning their stiff hold, the thin body relaxing fully against the soft pillows and blankets cushioning it now.

A rumble of content and pleasure escaped the gray chest as his fingers brushed gently against soft, pointy ears, a small smile pulling at the corners of the man's mouth as they twitched beneath his digits, flicking in the warm air of the tiny bedroom, Aku baring his fangs at him in feigned displeasure and annoyance and the samurai chuckling as he finally withdrew from the other's personal space, leaving him entirely to his own devices.

They sat like that for what seemed to be hours, simply enjoying each other's silent company, the mutual understanding that was finally blooming between them after so many years drenched in bloodshed and hatred, Jack soon returning his attention to his cooled tea and the demon settling comfortably against the much stronger form beside him, reveling in the sense of safety that it provided, swiftly lulled to sleep by the peace and quiet and faint sounds of a receding storm.

When Satina returned to the guest bedroom several hours later, exhausted and only slightly damp from the light rain outside, she found the two fast asleep next to each other, the samurai's arms held loosely crossed over his chest and head drooping until his features were no longer distinguishable beneath the inky black curtain of long hair and Aku leaning heavily against the human's shoulder, chest rising and falling evenly for perhaps the first time during the entire day.

Unwilling to disturb them, she turned off the light and softly slid the heavy door shut behind her as she stepped back into the empty hallway, deciding to retreat downstairs for the time being.

Perhaps, Dearg would be willing to share a drink with her again. Despite his brutish behavior and rather radical views, the man was quickly turning out to be a wonderful conversationalist. Who would have thought?


	17. Chapter 17

Darkness surrounded him on all sides.

Despite his best efforts, he couldn't see anything within the dark depths pressing in around him now, couldn't possibly make out a single shape within the black, smothering shadows suddenly flooding his vision, effectively rendering him virtually sightless within this new, peculiar environment. The deafening silence he was met with the moment he attempted to strain his hearing, perhaps in hopes of catching some sounds, no matter how faint, that would give him a clue as to where he actually was, even with his damaged horns, failed to calm him whatsoever, instead putting him even more on edge than he ever was before.

Even though he could not see or hear another creature's presence besides his own, he knew instinctively that he wasn't alone here. Knew that something was lurking within the pitch black depths of the seemingly endless abyss he'd suddenly been thrust into, watching him, scrutinizing him, not unlike a predator studied its yet ignorant prey as it circled it, taking note of its every weakness. Its every little misstep.

Aku would be lying if he said that it didn't frighten him, to finally be on the receiving end of this terrifying game of hide and seek. One in which the victim usually thrashed and hid and begged not to be killed, all the while entirely left to guess when the mortal injury would finally be dealt to it, all too aware of its soon-to-be killer watching it from the shadows, enjoying its panicked squirms. Was intimately familiar with all of the little details of this peculiar game because.. because he'd done this himself many times during the long years of his terrifying reign. Had reserved this.. this torture method for the worst of the worst of his enemies, locking them in a bubble of complete nothingness and hate and simply watching them slowly shatter beneath the pressure of their own actions, their burning anger and loathing towards him steadily turning against them, morphing into a near constant state of terror and paranoia, the lack of anything, even pain, eventually driving them insane.

The demon didn't hurt them in such cases. Rarely chose to resort to physical torment because he simply had no real need to do so. Their mortal minds could not survive in such an environment for very long, where there was nothing to be touched, nothing to be seen, tasted, smelled even, the would-be heroes soon shattering to the point that they were no more than babbling, crying lunatics, sobbing and muttering nonsense and begging for death during the occasional few seconds of clarity they got before descending right back into madness.

Of course, that's not to say that many didn't beg to be simply executed even before they were sent down to suffer here. Some even tried to commit suicide the sheer moment they learned of their horrifying sentence. Everyone, man, woman and child dreaded ever being sent down into this empty hell, this dark, seemingly endless hole of complete emptiness and hatred. No matter how strong they were in body or spirit. No matter how much animosity towards him burned fiercely within their hearts.

All feared the Pit of Hate.

Eyes slowly sliding shut, powerful tremors just barely starting to travel through his thin, bony form, Aku sank to what he instinctively presumed to be the chamber floor, even though he knew that such a thing did not exist here. Not truly. There was no ground, no walls or ceiling or sky in this place. No light, no warmth and no cold. No softness or hardness of soil, stone, metal or wood. No sensations of a fresh breeze against your skin or stale, dusty air filling your nostrils in smothering waves. No scents of cut grass, car fumes, or indeed any other smells you were bound to become accustomed to on a daily basis in the course of your entire life. Even tastes, bizarrely enough, did not exist here, whether sweet or sour, salty or bitter.

Nothing existed here except for your own hatred until it inevitably consumed you. The demon knew that maybe better than anyone else, but..

Some part of him had to wonder if he should perhaps be grimly amused by the situation he now found himself in. After all, how many times had he dreamed of finally sending the samurai himself to suffer down here? How many times had he stopped to imagine what this would do to his most powerful enemy? For how long had he longed to see the human wallow in his own pain and grief and anger, slowly driving himself past the brink while the demon watched from the shadows, savoring every moment of his greatest foe's destruction?

But now.. it was Aku who was trapped in this place instead, left to forever relive the many atrocities he had committed during his long, terror-filled reign. To recall all those hellish, nerve-wracking eight years he had spent trapped in a lifeless wasteland, unable to move, unable to use his powers, experiencing great difficulty even when trying to fulfil a task as simple as just speaking up. As well as.. as well as his year long punishment endured at the hands of those vile humans.

Something brushed lightly against his back and he lurched away in instant reaction, a frightened, strangled-sounding keen escaping his parted green lips as he shuddered heavily within this menacing darkness swallowing his form, the pitiful remains of his once prominent horns lowering in visible distress. Eyes snapping open once again, he frantically scanned the pitch black shadows surrounding him now, tried to catch even a glimpse of the creature hiding within them, something icy sinking deep into the pit of his stomach, a strong sense of nausea following closely at its heels.

He'd rarely touched his victims after sending them down here... Had always preferred to merely sit back and watch them slowly self-destruct... What was going on here?!

**"What a miserable, pathetic creature,"** a voice suddenly whispered into his ears, cold, rumbling and terrifyingly familiar. Dark claws, razor sharp and as black as the cosmos itself, gently traced the soft curve of his cheek and jawline, hooking beneath his chin and forcing him to look up— right into the giant, black and seemingly bottomless eyes of the monster circling him now.

A ragged gasp left his throat against his wishes at the horrifying sight, his already pale, sage-colored face going even paler by at least several shades, and Aku fought to keep himself from recoiling, knowing all too well that that would only please the beast towering over him now. His own muzzle, neon green and contorted in merciless cruelty and malice, stared down at him from the shadowed heavens above, long, curved and overlapping fangs baring in the jagged grin he knew so well, sending cold shivers running down his spine, his throat flexing in a heavy swallow and his mouth going suddenly dry.

This is what he used to be, not so long ago. Strong. All-powerful. Arrogant. Invincible. Virtually unchallenged and all but unbeatable. Unsurpassed in both intellect and abilities.

Monstrous.

**"Should I... ****end**** its worthless existence?** Those long claws slid even lower, abandoning the soft curvature of his sage colored cheekbone and gently brushing against his throat, almost tenderly tracing the faint outlines of the veins there, the movement dripping with dark mockery and venom. Aku shuddered heavily within the threatening hold, involuntarily tilting his chin upwards and pulling himself away from the bladed edges of the other's giant fingers as much as he possibly could, a frightened, strangled sounding whimper slipping past his bruised lips once more.

Please.. please stop this... Please put an **end** to this...

But he was no longer the same, could perhaps never again be called by any of the things he'd been described as a mere fourteen months ago. Aku was now nothing but a shell of his former self, a pitiful excuse for an immortal and omnipotent being, broken and wracked with eternal shame and anguish. He wasn't even so much as a shadow of the terrifying demonic tyrant that had ruled this world with an iron fist for thousands of years on end. No. All of his pride, his powers, his will - it had all been taken away from him. Probably forever. All because.. because he hadn't been strong enough to protect himself. Had been too weak to do so, too.. too foolish and arrogant and naive to believe or even accept the slightest possibility that he could someday be defeated. That someone would eventually bring about his downfall.

He should've learned his lesson after the human Emperor... After— after the samurai, but he.. he hadn't, his many victories clouding his judgement, filling his mind with false notions and ideas of never being truly threatened. Of never again being hurt.

And now... he was finally paying the price for that grave misjudgement.

"Perhaps you should..," a new, faintly melodious voice whispered within the dark shadows currently caging him in this personalized hell and Aku sharply looked up, wide black eyes frantically searching the surrounding gloom, his breath hitching within his heaving chest. A flash of turquoise flickered briefly within his line of sight, there and gone within seconds as the voice's owner stepped farther away from him, concealing herself from his searching gaze. Not that it stopped him from identifying her regardless, cold horror and yet at the same time relief welling within his heaving chest.

No... She.. she couldn't be here. Couldn't possibly be present. Simply couldn't be-

"Akua!" he choked out, vocals cracking with pain and desperation, dulled claws reaching out in the direction of the faint glow as he called out pathetically to the one creature who had always been there for him, the one person who had ever truly cared about him, his core clenching within his battered chest in grief and overwhelming sorrow. Only now did he realize just how much he'd missed her, missed hearing her voice, longed to feel her soft fur beneath his fingertips, to experience the loving, comforting warmth of her embrace once more.

"Mother!.."

The word left his lips suddenly, against his wishes, shocking even Aku himself in the process.

He'd never referred to her that way, had never outright called out to her while using that particular word. It had always remained unsaid between them, both of them knowing the name of this.. this bond connecting them for all eternity but neither actually voicing it aloud, ever, determinedly avoiding giving it an actual title.

As if afraid that it would only be taken away from them both as a result.

The blue glow left the pitch black gloom surrounding him entirely at his call, vanishing from sight as he reached out desperately for it, called for its owner to come back, to.. to not leave him all alone. Not again.

Not again...

Cold, monstrous laughter echoed above him yet again as the monster circling him suddenly shrank to his level, sharp, terror-inducing claws clamping tightly around his discolored face and pinning him securely against the body behind him, the tips of the creature's unoccupied digits lightly tracing the line where the golden collar wound tightly around the demon's throat.

**"Do you really think that she will answer you, Aku?"** It whispered venomously into his ear, long, curved claws hovering mere centimeters away from his pale essence, causing an intense shudder to travel down his spine and a muffled whimper to escape his suddenly heaving chest even though he tried his best to stifle it, tiny, crystalline tears already prickling at the corners of his dull eyes. **"You?"** The demon barely stopped himself from trembling pathetically within the other's grasp as unpleasant, rattling laughter sounded around him once more, the very air appearing to vibrate with the force of the other's amusement.

The foreign claws tightened even more around him as the monster pressed ever closer still, black, bottomless eyes seeming to stare right into his very soul as it curled around him, its every movement bonelessly fluid, unnatural, terrifying—

**"Do you really think that she ****cares** **for you? That ****the samurai** **cares for you? That ****all of them** **care about what happens to you? After everything you've ****done**** to them?"**

Aku's eyes clenched tightly shut as light suddenly flooded his vision, unbearable, scorching heat licking torturously against his scarred essence as flames erupted everywhere from the ground beneath him, consuming the previously dark world surrounding him within an instant, haunting screams following closely at their heals. A thousand images flashed before him all at once, his breath hitching uncontrollably within his chest as he was again forced to witness all the bitter memories he'd buried a long time ago.

He could see Satina lying collapsed on the stone floor of his citadel, spitting and hacking out green blood and looking up at him with so much surprise, so much terror, the brutal strike she had been dealt practically out of nowhere sending her to her knees, the reptile nursing her cheek and the already blossoming bruise upon it, no doubt wondering what she could have possibly done to displease him. Glimpsed the hurt look that flashed over Akua's felinoid face, the elegant head dipping before him in a show of submission and resignation, markings fading to a barely there glow, and was disgusted to feel the satisfaction blooming within him at the apparently won argument, the sheer savage joy that welled inside of him upon realizing that he'd finally managed to hurt her, after all those months of trying fruitlessly to get a rise out of her. Heard the deafening, utterly heart-wrenching screams of burning people and the distant, ear-shattering thrum and boom of collapsing buildings while his own laughter, haunting and terrible, rumbled monstrously in the background, barely audible over the cacophony of noise.

The claws around his face tightened until their cruel hold on him was nothing short of brutal, his eyes clenching even tighter shut as he shuddered heavily within the monster's grasp, guilt, pain and sorrow wrapping tightly around his chest, choking him until he was gasping desperately for breath—

**"Look at what you've done to them, Aku,"** the creature above him purred and though he could no longer see the other's muzzle, the demon knew that his double was openly grinning now, enjoying the sight and memory of the agony and devastation he had wrought upon others not so long ago. **"Isn't it beautiful?"**

No, no it wasn't. Aku knew it wasn't. Could no longer bring himself to revel in it. To enjoy seeing the obvious looks of hurt and anguish etched into countless faces, to take pleasure from hearing their screams for help, for salvation.

For their suffering to finally come to an end..

The hand abruptly released him and Aku collapsed heavily to his knees, his shaking legs no longer capable of supporting his own weight, his dulled claws clamping tightly around the sides of his head, sage colored features contorting in pain. The monster above him merely hummed thoughtfully at that, leaning over him with an awful sound of creaking and crackling wood, black, bottomless eyes studying his hunched form intensely. The vile grin upon its face only stretched even wider. **"Don't tell me.. You are actually ****regretting**** it!"**

Aku tried not to cringe away as the unpleasant, terrifying laughter bubbled forth once more, the entire world seeming to shake with the force of the creature's mirth around him, his double leaning down and plucking him easily from what they both presumed to be the ground and holding him up by his neck in front of it, squeezing ruthlessly as he began to struggle pitifully within its unforgiving grasp, gasping desperately for air that he knew he wouldn't receive. Despite the other's laughter, however, something told Aku that the other wasn't nearly as amused as he was before. No.. if anything, he was the complete opposite.

**"The Mighty Aku, the Shogun of Sorrow, the Master of ****all**** Masters - actually ****regretting**** putting those pitiful whelps in their rightful place!"**

The fingers around him tightened even more, and the demon gagged, his thin chest heaving as he struggled to draw breath, dull claws now scrabbling with almost feral desperation at the giant digits crushing his neck, eyes going almost painfully wide. The creature before him pressed even closer than before, if such a thing was even possible at this point, its scorching, foul breath washing over him not unlike a wave as it looked down at him with so much disgust, so much loathing.

**"Pathetic!"**

It screeched and the claws released him just as suddenly as they had curled around him, the former tyrant collapsing heavily to the ground, coughing and hacking uncontrollably and drawing in deep, ragged intakes of air.

Through the persistent ringing now viciously assaulting his hearing, Aku could just barely make out the horrifying sounds of laughter consuming the world surrounding him, his own cruel cackle mixing with several others, the darkness surrounding him somehow becoming even blacker, locking him in a cage of pure nothingness along with his own demons.

They were all laughing at him, he knew they were. Could clearly distinguish his own monstrous cackle in the cacophony of noise flooding his ears, could barely catch snippets of Satina's and Akua's own, unpleasant laughs soaked in cruelty. Could faintly hear Jack's quiet chuckles.

And above them all - rang a cold, malicious and all too familiar laughter that he now knew so well, his insides turning to ice at the mere sound of it and panic swiftly taking hold.

No... He couldn't possibly be here... No, no, **no!**

His eyes snapped open once more, looking up in horror at the tall form now standing over him, his wide, black eyes meeting icy, dark brown.

He knew those eyes.. the ones that no longer belonged to a human. Not anymore. Those that simply could no longer truly be possessed by any mortal creature of this world, resembling only one other beast that Aku was intimately familiar with, his breath stalling within his chest, blind terror consuming him entirely.

The eyes that were just like his own.

"J-Jack?.." He whispered pathetically, his lips barely moving and his voice suddenly refusing to follow his commands as the monstrous form before him suddenly stalked forward, something golden already gleaming within one hand. "Ak-kua?"

But there was no response to his quiet calls and the beast moving towards him never slowed or halted in its long strides, the demon scrambling desperately away from it as much as he possibly could, soon finding himself with his back pressed against the wall that had suddenly risen from the dark depths of the hell surrounding him, effectively leaving the former tyrant trapped with no escape, forcing him to look up at the monster mercilessly bearing down on him and realize that there was nothing he could possibly do to escape his cruel fate.

His green lips trembling, cold sweat he hadn't experienced up until now thickly coating his form, he tried again, his mouth going dry as the other steadily drew near. "Jack!.. Akua!.."

"... Mother?"

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

Aku was shivering again. Had been for the past hour.

Even through the thick fabric of his gi, the human could feel the faint tremors now travelling through the other's form, the demon unconsciously settling even closer to the samurai sitting beside him, seeking the comforting warmth his body provided. Wordlessly, Jack allowed him to press flush against himself, slipping one arm around the former tyrant's shoulders and permitting him to lean comfortably against his front, another equally strong shudder wracking that thin frame.

No matter what they tried, Aku appeared to be stuck in a perpetual state of constant trembling, his shoulders shaking almost imperceptibly where he leaned against the fluffy pillows behind him and his long claws grabbing fistfuls of thick blankets in order to pull them up to his very chin, his white nose nuzzling softly into the comforting fabric. Jack would be lying if he said his heart didn't warm somewhat at the sight, a small smile quirking at the corner of his lips every time as he helped tuck Aku in, wrapping him as much and as tightly as possible so that they covered most of the other's body without being too constricting and sending the former tyrant into another panic attack.

That was the last thing they needed now, after all.

Satina had said that the reason behind Aku's sudden hypersensitivity to cold was the fact that he was healing. That his constant trembling was actually a very good sign, a sure mark that the demon was officially out of the woods and well on his way to recovery, but Jack still couldn't help but worry, rarely straying from the demon's side for more than twenty minutes.

The full extent of said recovery still remained unknown. The possibility of severe and permanent scarring — all too real.

Ailith seemed to notice the other's obvious discomfort as well, because she soon looked up from her meticulous work, hands stilling where they were busy tying the ends of fresh wrappings over the deepest of Aku's old wrist wounds, right where the demon had cut into himself in a desperate bid to rid himself of the enchanted restraints, her dark, honey brown eyes fixing on the other's face with undisguised concern.

"Are ye cold, dearie?" She asked, her voice quiet and soft, almost motherly in its gentle whisper.

Jack withheld a sigh at that, his fingers tightening instinctively around the demon's thin shoulders, fully expecting him to explode in loud indignation, but —

To the samurai's great surprise, however, Aku didn't protest at the affectionate term. Didn't so much as grimace at the kind tone now directed at him, or the light, comforting touch of the woman's hand on his pale essence, head merely dipping in a shallow nod of affirmation. Perhaps he was too cold to do so, simply too exhausted to even try to act like his old self. Given the circumstances, Jack didn't really blame him for that, instead finding himself rather relieved that the demon was no longer fighting against them, freely allowing them to actually help him.

He knew that Aku still dreamed of simply ending it all. That the thought of comitting suicide had not yet fully left his mind. Every time the other woke up screaming. Every time Jack was forced to shake the demon awake, murmuring soothing words as the other pressed himself almost frantically against him, seeking the comforting warmth and hidden strength of his body, reassuring himself that the samurai was still there, still near, the human knew what was going through the tyrant's mind. Every time Aku called out in the dead of night, either for him, or for a creature he still did not know, whose presence the demon longed for even in his weakest of moments, Jack knew that the former tyrant did not wish to be here, genuinely longed to just cease to exist—

"Ak-kua?... M-mother?"

Shaking those bitter thoughts away, however temporarily, Jack shifted where he sat against the wooden headboard, allowing both himself and Aku to settle a little more comfortably as Ailith finally stood up with one last affectionate pat to the other's dull claws and left the room, presumably to fetch another blanket to cover the defeated lord with.

He had probably misheard him anyway. Had simply been very exhausted, to the point that he began imagining things, but...

He hadn't misheard. And Jack knew it all too well.

Aku let out a soft purr as his pale fingers brushed against the soft tips of the other's ears, the human marveling slightly at the sensation of that ethereal skin beneath his fingertips, his long digits trailing down in soothing caresses against the other's shoulder and arm, a soft smile gracing the warrior's features as the demon relaxed fully against his form, taking comfort from his strong presence.

It did not matter. Not now, at least. All that truly mattered now was Aku's recovery, physical as well as emotional. And.. and his subsequent face-off with the people who had done this to him.

The demon shot him a questioning look as his fingers clenched even tighter around one of those no longer spiked shoulders, the human warrior instinctively drawing his former enemy even closer to himself in a protective gesture, his face darkening in held back anger and building hatred.

No matter how hard he tried, he simply couldn't understand it.

How could anyone do something like this? How could anyone even think of comitting such atrocities against another living being, no matter how abominable their actions might be? How could anyone inflict so much agony upon another and then simply sit back and watch, actually enjoying the sight of their victim writhing in pain?...

... How could a human being be no different from a demonic tyrant?

"Always be alert, my son. For the presence of evil is sometimes... right behind you.."

Swallowing heavily, Jack slowly pulled himself away from the dark form clasped tightly within his warm embrace, Aku's horns twitching in discomfort and alarm and a powerful shudder travelling through that thin body at the loss of additional body heat, the demon shooting him a questioning and somewhat suspicious look over one shoulder. The samurai would've normally apologized for this, in fact, he wanted to apologize for the sudden movement, but suddenly could not quite muster up the strength of will to do so, to gather the courage in order to ask the one question that had been nagging at him for so long, tormenting him in his dreams, his nightmares for years on end, never allowing him any respite.

Ever since he was a child, ever since he was thrust into this frightening, terrible future against his will, he'd needed to know... But, the question now was.. did he really want to?

"Aku.." he began, weighing his words carefully, and the demon immediately looked up, his dull, black eyes fixing upon his hunched figure in a silent inquiry, green face oddly unreadable. As if he could already sense that what the human said next would not at all please him. "What happened between you and my father?"

The temperature of the small bedroom seemed to instantly drop by several degrees.

Aku's gaze hardened, eyes narrowing in the vicious glare the human knew so well, his jaw setting in what Jack already learned to recognize as restrained fury a long time ago, the former tyrant suddenly pulling himself even farther away from his long-time enemy, the mattress bouncing slightly at the rough and sudden movement as the other pointedly turned away from him, instead opting to glare outside the single window gracing one of the bedroom's walls.

Guilt blossoming within him with startling speed, the samurai reached out to softly place his hand upon one of those dark shoulders, but Aku wrenched it out of his grasp almost immediately, pearly fangs flashing in silent warning in the early rays of the morning sun.

"Aku?"

"You already know this story, samurai," the demon hissed, venom thickly coating his vocals and all but dripping off his trembling form in waves. "Why do you wish to hear it once more?"

"Because I have not yet heard your version of events."

Body stiffening in unconcealed surprise at the unexpected and quiet admission, Aku turned just enough to peer at him from the corner of his eyes, the faint flames making up his eyebrows flaring before dimming until they were barely more than tiny wisps once again.

Jack couldn't stop himself from releasing a heavy sigh if he tried.

"Aku, all my life I have been taught to hate you. Even before you returned to burn down my village, my days were often spent listening to the horrors and atrocities that you had committed against my people. My father would often use whatever time he had between meetings to sit me down by the tapestries.. and tell me the tale of how he had saved us all, and being a very small child at the time, innocent and blissfully ignorant to the real world existing outside the palace walls, I never questioned his story. Never asked why you had immediately attacked us or how he could've known that you were evil from the very start."

A ridiculing snort left the demon's hunched form, but Jack could already see some of the tension leaving those dark shoulders, even though the tyrant still remained stubbornly facing away from him, refusing to meet his gaze. Nevertheless encouraged by this, he continued, voice quiet and almost gentle.

"And then.. you came for my father on that fateful day and I was sent out into the world to train and learn how to defeat you, hatred ingrained deep into my heart, erasing any doubts or questions that I might have had about you. Though you might not like to hear this, you did not help matters either by sending your minions out to fetch me, ruthlessly slaughtering and torturing those who had dared to help me."

Aku looked away at that, the pitiful remains of his horns lowering and green features darkening, but Jack did not apologize, looking at the disgraced demon evenly, noting his reactions.

"The anger blinded me for a long time, Aku. The sheer hatred... It is only recently that I have begun to learn of my misconceptions about you. That you can be anything but evil. That there are people that you do cherish, and who cherish you in return. That there are creatures genuinely grateful for what you have done for them, even if most of what you did was unintentional.. What I am trying to say here, Aku, is that... After all these years of remaining blissfully blind... I finally wish to understand you. Understand why you attacked my village and why you took away my father. Why this hatred between us was even born in the first place."

"I want you to tell me your side of the story."

Aku didn't answer him, not for a long time. So long, in fact, that the samurai began to worry that he would not receive a reply at all, that the demon would simply ask him to leave, reluctant to share or even recollect some of those past, distressing events. But.. after what seemed to be an eternity of tense and awkward silence, Aku finally shifted to lay on his back, not openly facing the samurai, but no longer hiding his face from him completely, allowing him a clear view of those beastly, animalistic and yet at the same time completely human features.

"Very well.. If you so insist.."

Jack allowed himself a small, relieved smile at those words, settling more comfortably upon the chair he had pulled up next to the demon's bed, nodding encouragingly for the other to begin. The corners of Aku's lips twitched.

"I will tell you now that I do not remember much of my beginning, samurai, or even of how I came to be on this wretched planet. As far as I can recall, I have always lived upon this earth, though I was not always conscious of it, so to speak. Much like a worm, for instance is not aware of either itself or what is surrounding it," here Aku's face scrunched up in a dark grimace, as if the analogy were a direct insult to his ego. Which, knowing Aku, it probably was. Jack withheld a quiet chuckle. "So was I not aware of who or what I was. Much less where I suddenly found myself to be."

"Everything I did back then was instinctual and not out of any.. malicious intent. At least, I do not think so. I was a mindless, soulless, ever growing creature. I could not control my growth. Neither was I able to learn what it was doing to the creatures surrounding me. I did not know that I was destroying entire lands and civilizations. I did not know that I was the cause of many tragedies. And neither did I care, because I was not able to, because I simply possessed no consciousness to do so. Merely instinct. And then.. your father came."

A barely audible growl crept into the demon's voice at those words, its appearance abrupt, practically out of nowhere, and the look of absolute fury and hatred that now gleamed within the depths of Aku's black eyes — jarring. "All of a sudden.. I was free. I could think, I could feel, I was finally aware of everything surrounding me as well as myself. I did not even realize that I was trapped until that very moment and... It.. it was wonderful. But.. it soon turned out that I was freed into the wrong world at the wrong time." Aku's vocals grew thick, and a tiny shudder travelled through that thin form, barely visible, but undeniably there nonetheless. Concern blooming within him, Jack reached out, his pale fingers gently brushing against one of those bony shoulders, softly clasping around it in a soft gesture of support. The tyrant, thankfully, did not refuse his comfort.

"I thanked him for setting me free.. and he declared that he had intended to destroy me. Though I was insulted, to say the least, I did not attack him. It was only when he shot arrows at me that I reacted with equal violence."

"You then burned down the village." Jack said and the demon's head dipped in a shallow nod, the pitiful remains of his horns lowering until they were all but pressed flat against his essence. The human's face darkened at that. "There were innocent people there, Aku. You had no right."

Aku looked away again, eyes shuttering in resignation and at the same time regret. "No.. I did not. I realize that now. But back then I was angry.. so angry." Dragging a heavy hand down his green face, dull claws scraping against his essence, the demon sagged heavily against the pillows cushioning his form, an exhausted sigh leaving his parted lips. "It was only much later that I learned why he had reacted that way, why the person who had.. had created me by shooting that poisoned arrow into the dark pools from which I had risen rejected me almost instantly upon witnessing my form. But, of course, by then I was too furious to even consider the possibility of sparing his miserable life." Jack frowned at that but said nothing, reluctant to interrupt the other's story. The former tyrant, now visibly reluctant, continued.

"What do you know of demons and the war between them and your people, samurai?"

Jack looked away, brows furrowing in a thoughtful frown and lips pursing, his eyes growing unfocused as he dredged up every lecture he'd been taught upon the subject, before and after his village's destruction.

"I... Well... The ancient scrolls spoke of many things upon the subject, but I.. must admit that the beginning of the conflict is still unclear to me. It is the opinion of some that demons are the spirits of disgraced warriors, ones who had betrayed their masters, tainted their honor and became filled with cowardice, malice and greed. Horribly disfigured by their sins, they roam the lands, seeking to punish those who are still pure and good. But.. there are also others who have said that the demons are malicious spirits, jealous of our happy lifestyles and thus seeking to destroy everything we have built out of spite—"

Aku's fangs bared. Seeing this, Jack immediately fell silent, sensing that what he'd said might not have been all that wise. However.. he had been asked a question and he was not about to lie just because the answer did not quite suit the injured creature now lying beside him. After a few moments, however, Aku seemed to settle once again, the tension still clearly present, but at least the snarl was gone, hidden behind an expression the samurai could not read, the former tyrant calmly, yet at the same time somewhat irately gesturing for him to continue.

The samurai chose to oblige him.

"Regardless of their origins, it is clear that my people have been at war with them for many centuries even before your arrival. They attacked our settlements and burned them to the ground, not a single house remaining standing after the heinous deed. They stole newborns from their cradles and even their mother's arms, feeding them to their own children so that they would develop a taste for human blood. They would slaughter our cattle, leaving entire families to starve during the colder seasons, and would pick off any who dared venture into the forest in hopes of finding food. They–"

"Were just trying to survive," Aku suddenly interrupted, the look in his eyes having now grown dangerously dark. "Just like you."

Jack stared at him, irritation and confusion already just barely starting to gnaw at his insides. "They killed our people, Aku. Burned down entire villages for no reason whatsoever. Not for food, not for water, or wood, or any other supplies imaginable. If it were not for the enchanted weapons created by our mages–"

"And where do you think those weapons came from, samurai?" The former tyrant asked him, shooting him a sharp glance from the corner of his black eyes. "Humans do not possess magic of their own. And the sword you always carry with you is by far the only known blade to be created by the Gods. So.. how could your mages, as you refer to them, perform any enchantments? Where could they have possibly procured such powerful magic?"

"From the human spirit," Jack said almost instantaneously, the all too familiar fire rekindling within his onyx eyes. "And the power of righteousness."

Aku laughed.

It was an ugly, harsh sound, a far cry from the joyous guffaws the human had heard back in that tiny bathroom. Bitter, cold, and menacing, it sent shivers running down the samurai's spine, his fingers clenching around the soft folds of his gi, knuckles going white with the force of their tight grip as suppressed memories rose to the forefront of his mind once more, reminding him of a not-so-distant time.

It sounded too much like the laughter of a tyrant he had once used to know.

"No, samurai," Aku said, the same, horrifically familiar grin spreading across his green face, baring rows of sharp, overlapping fangs.

"They came from demons."


	18. Chapter 18

The citadel was as dark and as silent as ever when she stalked down the winding hallways, the stone corridors appearing to be almost entirely void of any signs of life and her footsteps echoing loudly, eerily within the shadowy depths of Aku's fortress.

As much as she would've liked to say otherwise, the medic wasn't at all surprised by the recent development. Not really. The regulations set by their new Masters for those who had decided to remain under their rule were strict, each person assigned a particular station to work at, forced to communicate with their colleagues only through certain networks that could be easily monitored, effectively keeping them all in check. Guaranteeing that there would be no planned and coordinated resistance. At least not within these fortified walls. The predicament caused a lot of problems with worker productivity, to say the least.. and spread a lot of unease and trepidation among the ranks.

They'd never had to deal with something like this during the demon's reign. Had never had to put up with anything like it. Even Aku, a rather despotic boss himself at the worst of times, for all his faults and numerous mistakes, had allowed them far more leeway than this, had actually permitted them to mingle and communicate as they pleased during their free time.

Whether or not it was more out of his inability to perceive them as a genuine threat rather than any real benevolence on his part was a matter of debate.

The concealed door slid open before her smoothly at the barest brush of her dark claws against the hidden keypad, the machine instantly recognizing the unique signature of her demonic magic and allowing her entrance to the previously locked facilities, the woman breathing a deep sigh of relief she'd unknowingly been holding back as she finally stepped inside the stone chamber, her eyes casting a soft yellow light upon the darkened interior of the closed off room.

So.. she hadn't been locked out of her own labs after all. Not yet anyway. She had to admit, she wondered how long that would last. How long she would be allowed free access before the humans found a way to get rid of her without causing a massive uprising amongst the other demonic minions. Nergui was no fool, after all. Far from it. He had to know that this wasn't over yet. That just because they had successfully weeded out Aku's most staunch supporters that they wouldn't be met with resistance if they began killing demons left and right, starting with her. Especially now that she had officially taken over as leader.

Akaira's blood still caked beneath her claws.

Still.. Nergui wasn't her main problem at the moment. No. He certainly wasn't the immediate threat she had to take care of. Someone else had sent that demon out to challenge her, convinced her to attack while the medic was down. She simply could not have acted on her own. Akaira was never the most proactive type, had never been all that spontaneous, or displayed the ability to think and jump into action without receiving specific orders to do so beforehand. She was just another grunt that was a little smarter than most. A little more devious. And that was exactly what had made her one of Aku's most favored and trusted assassins.

Akua could perhaps count herself lucky that she had been underestimated, that her sheer will to live had been so gravely misjudged. Had Akaira actually taken her seriously as an opponent, had she battled with all her strength and skill against her, it was possibly quite safe to say that their fight would have gone very differently. That the outcome wouldn't have been nearly so pleasant for the cat-like demon.

But.. that wasn't so important now, was it? The main thing of interest becoming who had ordered her to attack. Who had wanted Aku's chosen successor out of the way. Who was now working with the humans and vying for the former tyrant's place as ruler of the demonic population and many conquered worlds.

And Akua had a pretty good idea on who that person was. There was only one demon who had been against Aku from the start and had spent the last several thousand years gathering enough strength to be able to beat him. All the while skillfully posing as one of his most devout followers.

Only to fail so laughably, so miserably against a certain, sword-wielding warrior of the past.

The room she entered was dimly lit and scarcely lighter than the rest of the stone citadel. A blue light illuminated the cramped space, by far the only source of any brightness in the otherwise pitch black confines, almost eerily highlighting the Bakeneko's dark face as she cautiously stepped forward, the claws of her feet clacking softly against the smooth floor, the tiny sounds barely audible over the quiet rustle of her powerful tail sliding against the polished surface and coiling beneath her in order to partially support her weight.

The demon's yellow eyes scanned the surrounding shadows, finally falling upon the low machine standing in the middle of the rectangular shaped room, the obvious origin of the soft cyan glow.

It was empty.

Several wires and tubes hung within the bubbling liquid like withered, grotesque branches of a long dead tree, no longer attached to a body that had hung there for the past few years. Akua could only stand and watch in silence as they swayed soundlessly within their small confinement, something cold sinking deep into her core at the worrying sight, her torn ears subconsciously flattening against the narrow surface of her skull as dismay bloomed alongside her fear, her jaw setting and fangs clenching as she realized what this meant for her, that she had actually been correct in her assumptions. Again.

Sometimes.. she just really hated being right.

The door clicked shut behind her, the sound sudden and ominous and clearly designed to be threatening, but she didn't turn around, not immediately, her claws lacing behind her back and shoulders squaring in a clear show of defiance, her yellow, snake like eyes narrowing into dangerous slits.

"I thought I had told you that you were not ready to be disconnected yet.. Demongo."

An irate, displeased hiss left unseen lips and the aura pressing threateningly against her own almost instantly backed off, allowing the cat-like being to finally relax and turn around in order to more fully face her disgraced comrade, slitted eyes meeting startling, inhuman blue.

Despite the clear ire now directed at her, Akua showed only sangfroid.

"Your magic still has not recovered fully from the ordeal your body has been put through. It cannot support you properly. It is my advice that you return to the tub before you cause irreparable damage to yourself and—"

"You speak as though I still have a chance at a full recovery.. Izanami." Demongo interrupted her, his forked tongue lashing in the chilly air of the tyrant's citadel as he stalked past her, coming to stand in front of the abandoned machine that had served more as his personal prison rather than it had anything else for so long. Even so, the medic did not miss the heavy limp within his stride.

Akua's teeth bared in a low, threatening growl. "Do not call me that."

The other's mouth stretched into a wide, mocking grin upon the sudden but not at all unexpected display of aggression, blue eyes twinkling in the semi-darkness of the tiny room. "Oh, but why should I not, Iza? Is it not the name you claimed to be so fond of back when we were young? Remember? Back in that field, when we were dreaming of what it would be like to actually have names.. to live without constantly looking over our shoulders, waiting to be slaughtered... When you even allowed me to—"

"—We are not teenagers any longer, Demongo," Akua hissed in response, interrupting him before he could finish, her eyes flashing in the dark shadows of the tiny ICU and voice dripping with undisguised poison. "I am no longer the same, foolish child I once was, and neither are you! I know you sent Akaira after me! It is time that you let go of this petty vendetta you have against Aku and finally stopped living in the past, don't you think so!?"

The demon's blue eyes narrowed into tiny slits, the smile swiftly fading from his face as he studied her, long claws imperceptibly clenching into tight fists at his sides. "Funny you should say that, Iza. Seeing as how you've moved on so easily."

A bitter, disbelieving laugh wrung itself past the Bakeneko's lips and Akua shook her head in genuine incredulity, her turquoise markings flashing blue, giving the impression that they were brighter than usual in the soft glow emanating from the machine standing in the middle of the room. "Again with this?! For the last time, Demongo, I did not replace them with Aku!"

"Oh, but, see, that is not what it looks like from where I'm standing," the other demon practically purred, his annoying, high-pitched and utterly fake voice growing lower, colder, more threatening. Turning into the all too familiar growl Akua had become so intimately acquainted with during the short few years they had spent together, and the one she had learned to fear, every instinct within her screaming at her to back off, to get away. Despite her growing anxiety, the felinoid stood her ground, her inky black fur fluffing up in an unspoken threat, successfully stopping the other before he could come any closer. Maimed or not, the feline would obviously not hesitate to attack him if she perceived him as a threat to her own well-being.

Even so, Demongo did not back off, not entirely, his eyes narrowing further and four fangs baring in a vicious growl he had never displayed to others before. Not even to Aku, or the samurai.

"See, from where I am standing, Iza, it still looks and sounds as if you were desperate to be a mother. So desperate, in fact, that you immediately forgot your supposed grief at your own childrens' passing and exchanged them for Aku! Had you truly cared for them, had you loved them, you would have never sullied their memory this way!"

"'Sullied their memory?!'" Akua echoed, rounding on the currently much weaker demon, her voice as cold as ice and her yellow eyes taking on an eerie glow. "Tell me, what do you know of their passing? Why do you care about their memory?! You abandoned us in that cave! Abandoned me! I always knew you were a coward, but I thought that when it really came down to it you would always stand by my side! That you would always be there for me when it mattered! Instead you leftme the moment I went into labor, deserted me when I perhaps needed you the most!"

She was practically shouting at this point, but she didn't care, her elegant markings flashing fiercely with the force of her rampant emotions within the confines of the darkened room and her black fur fluffing up in rage until she appeared to grow to twice her size.

"Be honest. You never gave a damn about them."

Demongo, however, did not appear to be all that threatened by her display, soon hissing back with equal fury, his long tongue lashing far more than usual in his all-consuming anger.

"They were my cubs too!" He snapped back, his features contorting in an ugly grimace of pain and old grief and his eyes becoming no more than twin blue slits of pure, burning rage. "And you know it! I left you that night because I was searching for help!"

"You were saving your own skin! Waiting to see whether or not I would survive the birth! You know as well as I do that had you really tried to reach out to any demon in the vicinity for aid and I did not live, you would be killed alongside me as well. As was the unspoken law. There is a reason why teenage demons aren't allowed to procreate and those who are responsible for it usually have their heads torn off by the parents of their loved one. Their magic is far too unstable to support themselves, much less their children. It is virtually a death sentence!"

"It usually takes two to reproduce, Iza," the other demon purred, his burning fury appearing to suddenly vanish within an instant, as if it had never even been displayed in the first place, masterfully concealed behind arrogance and mockery. "You can't lay all the blame on me."

Akua allowed herself a small smirk at that, her fur finally falling flat against her body as she forcefully composed herself before she could do something she would later regret, matching the other demon's nasty grin. "That is true. But you were clearly older than me. It would've been all too easy for others to come to the conclusion that you had taken advantage of a naive, foolish youngling. Especially considering that I was obviously alone with no relatives living close by. Otherwise you would already have been killed by them."

A loud, enraged hiss was by far her only warning before long claws wrapped around her slender throat, the injured demon stalking forward until they were practically face to face, his glowing blue and pupil less eyes boring into scorching yellow. "And yet I still came back for you, Izanami! Despite the danger to myself, the possibility of losing my own life as well, I still came back to be there for you! Only to find that you were gone, and our children — abandoned in the ground by their own mother!"

Her fangs baring in a vicious snarl, Akua remained still as the black digits finally left her neck with one last threatening squeeze, the other demon taking a few stumbling steps back, dark features contorting in anger and loathing.

"And then, just a few short years later, I find you in the company of this.. this abomination. This freak of nature that you began calling your son. And suddenly, it was as if I didn't know you anymore. As if you were a completely different being. All of a sudden, you had a name. A name that I know you hadn't chosen of your own free will, and one that was handed to you by that wretched amalgamation. All of a sudden you had a purpose, a job that was bestowed upon you by this creature. And it was as if.. as if you'd completely forgotten who you were. As if you'd forgotten me."

His voice going traitorously thick, Demongo turned away, his shoulders falling beneath the clean medical gown he'd obviously retrieved from the nearby lockers and his arms crossing tightly over his narrow chest, the look in his blue eyes growing dangerously distant. "I had to wonder then... Did you grieve for them at all? Or were they just mere objects to you? Temporary toys, for your amusement? After all, you certainly wasted no time in replacing them. With a monstrosity that cannot even be called a proper demon no less.."

Akua's ears flattened. "Do not call Aku that."

A bitter smile stretched across the other demon's face. "Call him what, Iza? Exactly what he is? You know as well as I do how he came to be. You know as well as I do that he does not belong among us, that he is a monster created in an abhorrent ritual that only humans were wicked enough indeed to perform."

"He still has demonic blood within him," the cat-like being snarled in reply, her turquoise markings flashing blue, the reflected light dancing upon the smooth surface of her bared fangs. "He is still receptive to our magic, resembles us in appearance. Just because he is stronger than any known demon, just because he has far more abilities than any of us could ever even dream of, just because of what the Emperor did does not mean that he is not one of us!"

"But the human blood still flowing through his veins does, Iza."

The demon fell still, her white chest heaving as she gazed upon the other, her yellow eyes narrowing into tiny slits. "That does not mean anything—"

"But it does. And you know it all too well, however much you might wish to deny it."

Akua fell silent and still, her gaze never leaving the mutilated demon standing before her and her claws slowly curling into fists at her sides, old pain resurfacing and blooming within her heaving chest, closely followed by something awfully akin to desperation. When she spoke again her voice was hushed and trembling, barely audible over the sound of beeping machinery. "It is not his fault—"

"—That the Emperor killed one of his most trusted servants alongside seven captured demons in order to create a powerful enough poison to destroy him? No, it isn't. But that does not change what he is, Iza. A monster with an endless appetite, containing several souls combined into one. An abomination forged out of our stolen magic all because the humans could never even hope to ever possess their own. He is a living reminder of what we survived, Iza. Of what our people went through. All those years ago. Or have you already forgotten?"

"When is a demon at his most powerful and yet most vulnerable simultaneously? Do you remember hearing that lecture back when we were young, Iza? Most would probably answer when they are children, and while that is true, to a certain extent, it is also false. The correct answer being when they are teenagers and when they are with child."

"I know this. Why are you telling me this?" Akua asked, now watching the other carefully, suspicion sinking into every line of her tall form. But even as she uttered that question, her mind already guessed the answer, knew where Demongo was going with this and caused pure, all-consuming anger to coil bitterly within her chest, clashing with the age old pain and grief.

"Because it would seem that you require a reminder of what the humans did to us, my dear Iza. Of what we were forced to endure. You see, we are far more closely attached to this world than the humans could ever even dream of, even though both our species stemmed from it. While they live off of its fruits in the form of animals, plants and lands, we in contrast mainly feed on its energy that was so ignorantly dubbed as 'magic'. Indeed, from our very birth do we integrate ourselves into this network of seemingly endless energy flowing through the air and soil of this little world. It is precisely why we can communicate with the nature surrounding us, most notably trees. It is why we are immortal. It is why we are far more powerful than any other type of creature upon this planet, except perhaps for the elementals who are more akin to physical manifestations of said energy. And it is precisely why we are so despised by the human race."

"But we are not born with an immediately set amount, are we? There is only so much raw energy that our bodies can store and process within themselves, but that changes as we grow. Once we reach a certain age it is as if our bodies.. become confused. It's as if they start trying to figure out just how much 'magic' we can truly contain within ourselves. You've studied demonic biology far more than anyone else has, you have intimate knowledge of our inner workings and thus know what that leads to."

"Energy instability," the medic murmured, the look in her yellow eyes growing distant. Memories of burning down the village, of accidentally setting that hunter on fire flashed before her eyes. "And major, often destructive fluctuations."

"Precisely. Add to that attempts to keep it contained and hidden and the results of such fluctuations become nothing short of catastrophic. Most of those village burnings we are so often blamed for? Accidents. Chance fires set by young demons who are simply unable to fully control their powers, and were given no opportunity to teach themselves on how to do so. Not with the possibility of being discovered and killed by ignorant creatures claiming to have the high moral ground."

"And this exact instability was what made them such valuable prey for the humans. Do you remember, Iza? How we were forced to hide within the dark depths of forests, never risking actually stepping out into open spaces for fear of being seen. Because we both knew what would happen to us if we were caught, knew how we would be handed to those so called 'mages' and be cut up and harvested for weaponry, our magic ruthlessly torn away and stolen from us, thus extinguishing our life force. How many have we watched die in such a fashion? How many of them had we known personally? But, of course, teenage demons weren't the only favorite ingredient in human rituals at the time, were they?.."

Akua turned away at that, her arms crossing tightly and tensely over her white chest, no longer able to look Demongo in the eye. Seeing this, the other stepped closer, his blue eyes glinting in the semi darkness of the tiny ICU, inky black fangs baring in a small, bitter grin. "Perhaps the most valuable prize a human could ever get his disgusting little hands on was a demon in the process of gestation."

A ridiculing scoff left the felinoid's lips. "Of course they were." The corner of Demongo's lips twitched in what could almost come across as a small smile.

"Yes.. for what is better than a demon accumulating massive amounts of energy in order to support not only themselves, but the growing lives within them? But, unfortunately, they had a genuine excuse for killing them off this time."

"The droughts," Akua continued for him, her claws clenching tighter around her upper arms. "And the wastelands... They never quite seemed to grasp that it was more of a give and take system than just mere destruction for the sake of it, did they? Never realized that while we were siphoning life from one place that would undoubtedly recover soon on its own, we were simultaneously redirecting even portions to far less fortunate regions."

"Humans... Always so short-sighted," Demongo agreed with her with a soft, almost menacing purr, his brilliant blue eyes narrowing into tiny slits. "But.. at the same time, they were not entirely wrong, were they? There was one place that we favored, that we stole for. And one that Aku himself was drawn to when he first crashlanded upon this planet. A place where all the lines cross. Our birthplace. As a demonic race."

"And now.. Aku's birthplace as well." Akua finished for the other, finally gathering enough strength to turn around and meet the demon's gaze, her yellow eyes boring into bright blue. Demongo's face contorted in a dark grimace.

"Yes.. and now Aku's birthplace as well."

"You know what happened that day, don't you Iza? You know how they raided one of our last few remaining communities. How the Emperor ordered his mages to kill those demons, most of whom were adolescents and one - with child. How he 'sacrificed' one of his own people just because he thought he'd betrayed him for trying to understand us. Just because he needed human blood for the ritual to work. And then.. he took that poison to the black forest and forever tainted those pools and our sacred land with it. Thus creating Aku as a result."

A bitter smile flickered briefly over Akua's cat-like features. "Backfired on him rather spectacularly, didn't it? Suppose that's what you get for trying to kill two birds with one stone. Get rid of the pools, and eliminate our place of birth, our very life source."

"Yes, and he succeeded in doing so too. In a certain way."

The woman sharply looked up at that bold statement, her body stiffening where it stood in the middle of the tiny ICU, her tall dark form eerily highlighted by the dim, flickering light of the empty life support machine. Sharp fangs flashed menacingly in the soft cyan glow. "What the hell do you mean by that?"

"What I mean by that, Iza, is that those lands were forever tainted after that. Barren. Poisoned with the stench of human blood, the memory of that horrendous deed committed by a person who was so overwhelmingly desperate to destroy us once and for all. And the event that brought about the subjugation of our people. The destruction of whatever freedom we had left to us by a monster who'd risen from those accursed pools."

"You're spouting nonsense," Akua snarled, her turquoise markings flashing green with suppressed fury, long claws curling into tight fists at her sides and digging almost ruthlessly into her own palms. Demongo's expression remained unchanged.

"Am I really, Iza? Because I seem to recall a time when we were able to live as we pleased, despite always being on the run. A time when most of us weren't born within the walls of this citadel, when our children actually knew the sensations of soft earth beneath their claws and the scent of trees within the morning breeze and cherished them. When we weren't forced to serve to a creature that did not earn our respect, did not truly deserve our love, and did not name ourselves and our little ones after it."

Demongo shook his head, the look in his eyes unusually, terrifyingly dark.

"But all of that is just the tip of the iceberg, isn't it? Because the worst part.. the worst part is that those lands never forgave us for allowing something like that to happen to them. Even though we are still allowed to visit, to gather there as we usually did during perhaps the most devastating times of our history, we can always feel the coldness sinking into our beings now. You know that sensation all too well, don't you? Our own planet.. rejecting our presence because we allowed it to be defiled. Because we did not defend it. Why do you think Aku is so afraid of going back there, even though he may be considered its child as well? He knows that he will be shunned by it too. Perhaps even more than that. After spending the last several thousand years destroying its forests, poisoning its soil, drying countless rivers, polluting seas and mercilessly slaughtering anyone who stood in his path in order to build his Empire, who's to say that it will ever forgive him? That it won't simply try to purge itself of him? And that is exactly what frightens him the most about that place. Not dying, not actually being destroyed, but ultimately being declared unwanted by his own home. By far the only home he's ever had."

"So that is why you sent Akaira after me.. Why you've spent so many years hunting down warriors and enslaving their essence to become stronger.." Akua murmured, dawning realization spreading across her feline face, shock and horror seeping into every line of her thin body. "By getting rid of Aku you actually, genuinely believe that you will earn this world's forgiveness. And now.. you finally have the perfect opportunity."

Demongo's expression softened, something soft, something sad flickering over his dark face, there and gone within moments, his blue eyes never leaving Akua's yellow ones.

"Yes," he whispered quietly, his voice unusually soft and gentle. "I do."

The demon took a step forward, his claws reaching for the felidae standing before him, but she instantly shrank away from his touch, her yellow eyes wide with fear and alarm and shock. Demongo would be lying if he said he wasn't hurt by that. By the sight of the woman he'd once loved, whom he still loved despite everything that had happened between them.. staring at him almost as if.. almost as if he were insane.

"Come back to me, Izanami," he begged her quietly, his voice barely audible over the soft beeping of the ICU machines. "We don't have to keep fighting each other. We can still fix this. You can still be a mother. To real demons and not a foreign, murderous creature born of darkness and hate and human blood who is merely using you for his own personal benefit. We can still earn true freedom for ourselves, and not a mere illusion of it.. You don't have to go by this.. name that he gave you any longer.."

Soft, tender fingers brushed against the Akua's furred cheek, gently cupping her jaw as the injured being finally came to stand before her, watching her through hooded eyes.

"Be my queen again, Iza.."

=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=

For a single, split second it appeared as though Jack hadn't heard him. Onyx eyes stared blankly back at him, the human saying nothing for so long that Aku began to wonder if he had actually short circuited, to the point that he even considered waving his claws in front of that handsome face just to see if he'd get a reaction.

After what seemed to be ages, however, Jack finally spoke.

"You are lying."

Aku barked out a laugh at the expected response to an unpleasant and inconvenient truth, softly shaking his hornless head from side to side in genuine (if somewhat bitter) amusement even as the samurai rushed to heatedly continue, voice taught with disbelief, hurt and denial. "My father would never—"

"Never kill defenseless demons in order to gain power and slaughter even more, eh? Ah, but of course, he is far too noble to do something like that, right? How silly of me."

The demon's words stung, even he could admit that, but Jack forced himself to disregard them, far too desperate to defend his father's honor to give into his hurt.

"You cannot deny that there are other ways for us to gain magic, even though we might not be born with it," the human said, though he didn't sound nearly as confident as he probably would've liked. Nevertheless, he did not back down even when faced with Aku's scorching gaze, onyx eyes narrowed in determination. "The Scotsman is a good example of that. His celtic magic did not come from the slaughter of other magical creatures. What makes you think that my father would ever resort to such heinous methods?"

Aku's shoulders rose and fell in a careless shrug.

"Because it was easier than simply gathering and processing it on his own. Because a demon's magic is far more potent and powerful than most. Because it lowered the numbers of demons living in the vicinity. There are a lot of reasons, samurai. Pick your favorite."

"B-but," Jack stuttered, quite literally stumbling over his next few words as he stared at his former rival, onyx eyes wide with shock and disbelief and pain. "He had to have had his reasons."

He sounded weak, almost desperate when he said it, the samurai realized that all too well. But he simply couldn't help it, denial sinking into every line of his body. Surely the demons were not entirely guiltless in this conflict? Surely it could not allbe just a single, huge misunderstanding between their species? Surely there had to be some reason behind all of those deaths...?

Surely his father could not have been so needlessly cruel?

The bitter, unpleasant smile slowly ebbed from Aku's face as silence fell between them, almost as if he'd sensed the quiet desperation within the human's voice, the sheer hurt and despair and feelings of betrayal. Even though he still loathed the Emperor with every inch of his being for what he'd done, hated the fact that Jack still clung to this.. absurd, ludicrous idea of his father's complete innocence, the former tyrant suddenly found himself completely incapable of enjoying this moment, of relishing crushing every misconception the samurai had had of his dear old dad.

Perhaps the man was rubbing off on him more than he had expected.

When the tyrant spoke again, his voice was unusually quiet. "Maybe he had."

Jack looked up at him, onyx eyes, wide in shock and surprise, sharply meeting black and Aku reluctantly looked away, silently wondering why he hadn't told the man the truth, knowingly allowed him to continue holding onto the desperate, naive hope that his father had been a good man, a kind person—

And not the ruthless warmonger he was considered to be by the entire demonic population.

"As for the rest... Well, you already know the rest of the story after that point, samurai. Your father defeated me that day and imprisoned me within the wasteland that had once been your home. I spent eight years trapped in the form of a gnarly tree, unable to move, unable to use my abilities, with no one else to speak to but my own demons. Unable to even tell if I would be able to free myself of my bonds one day. It.. it was a terrifying experience, samurai." Aku admitted, a faint shudder travelled through the demon's form, his dark claws clenching a fraction tighter around the soft blankets cocooning him now, his black eyes falling to his covered lap and the remains of his horns lowering in what was undeniably stirring distress.

His onyx eyes clouding in sympathy and sorrow, Jack softly reached out, drawing Aku closer to himself in the form of a gentle embrace, his arms winding around the thin black body as the demon trembled within his hold, dull claws digging almost frantically into the soft folds of his gi. Taking a slow, deep breath, the tyrant forced himself to continue, the look in his eyes growing distant as long buried memories sprang to the forefront of his mind once more.

"When that eclipse happened and I was finally free again.. I swore to myself that I would never allow myself to be imprisoned again. That I would take my revenge upon the person who had done this to me, and teach this miserable world who was its real Master. Promised myself that no one would ever hurt me like that again.. I suppose now you can see how well that worked out." A bitter chuckle left the demon's lips as his dark claw tips pointedly traced the smooth surface of the collar strapped tightly around his elegant throat, the look in his black eyes growing dangerously distant.

Jack's jaw clenched imperceptibly at the small gesture, his fingers tightening a fraction more around Aku's already trembling form.

"But I guess... My failure to uphold promises even to myself does not at all come as a surprise to you, does it, samurai? Everything I ever do seems to be destined to fail sooner or later. My plans of killing you... My vows of making sure that I would never again face imprisonment... And, finally, the attempt I made to end my own life..."

Sharp, overlapping fangs flashed in the soft light of the guest bedroom as Aku's face contorted in pain an sorrow, his gaze falling to where his claws were still gripping the soft folds of Jack's gi. His throat flexing in a heavy swallow, the demon forced himself to continue even as his voice thickened with emotion, visible pain seeping into every line of his malnourished form as his trembling increased, obviously no longer fueled by the cold alone.

"Guess Khürel.. Khürel was actually right when he'd said I was a failure in every sense of the word... That I was weak, pathetic, nothing short of embarrassment—"

Jack's arms tightened around him even more at the whispered phrase, and Aku was surprised to see the sheer rage within those familiar eyes when he finally looked up, the sheer hatred he never would've thought would be directed at anyone else but him.

When the human composed himself enough to finally speak again his voice was hushed, quiet, almost impossibly gentle as he held the shuddering form of his greatest foe against his chest, softly urging the demon to bury his muzzle into the warm crook of his neck, pale fingers never stopping where they were rubbing soothing circles into his upper back. "He was wrong, Aku."

Aku sharply looked up at those words again, his green face scrunching up in shock and confusion as his faintly glistening black eyes met bright, onyx ones. To his surprise there was no mockery in the other's gaze, no joy or pleasure at the sight of his complete humiliation. There was only sympathy there now, anger at the people who'd done this to him and a rare, burning conviction that the tyrant had only ever seen during their battles, the sight shaking him to his very core.

A soft sigh wrung itself past those pale lips as Jack shifted against him, his fingers never stopping in their calming caresses.

"No one has ever been able to challenge me as much as you have. No one has been able to withstand my attacks for so long. For over twenty years I have struggled against you, Aku, and not once have I been able to truly defeat you. And it is not merely because of your strength, your abilities, though they are quite admirable on their own. No. It is also your intelligence, Aku, your sheer brilliance that sets you apart from every opponent I have ever faced during my life."

The demon's breath hitched within his throat at those whispered words, the pitiful remains of his horns lowering as listened to the quiet confession now being so freely offered to him, his dark claws clenching a fraction tighter around those broad shoulders.

"The fact that you survived what happened to you speaks volumes to me about your resilience, Aku. Tells me of your inner strength. You held yourself together during your captivity. You managed to escape despite perhaps being at your very lowest and now you are actually working to better yourself and this world you've created. You are no failure in my eyes, no weakling." A gentle hand cupped the demon's jaw, it's weight and tender warmth so soothing, so utterly comforting against the being's ethereal skin and Aku unconsciously leaned into the soft, tender touch, his black eyes looking up at the human's face now hovering no more than a few inches from his own.

A small smile played at the corner of the man's lips as a calloused thumb swiped in an arch over a round cheekbone, tracing the faint lines of old scars.

"You are strong, Aku..."

The demon's breath stalled as the human slowly leaned toward him, now only too sharply aware of their close proximity, Jack's soft exhales warm but not at all unpleasant against the sensitive essence of the tyrant's muzzle and the creature's jaws parting to gasp raggedly for air that he suddenly needed so desperately—

The mahogany door of the guest room creaked open and the two instantly sprang apart in surprise, Aku quickly disentangling himself from the human form beside him, suddenly feeling oddly uncomfortable and oddly ashamed, his ears twitching in sudden embarrassment even though he could not quite tell what exactly he was embarrassed about.

He dared not glance at the samurai, though if he had he would've undoubtedly seen the brief tint of red that had swiftly surfaced upon the man's sharp cheekbones, Jack quickly and quietly clearing his throat and hiding his slightly reddened face behind the sleeve of his gi as he willed his heart to stop its almost frantic beating. If he had stopped to study the warrior then, Aku would've no doubt realized that the other was just as uncomfortable as him. If not more. But he hadn't, too busy trying to calm his own, suddenly frantic energy, his essence beating a panicked rhythm in his ears. He did not know why the sudden interruption had affected him this way, but decided to leave that question for another time.

Quickly composing himself, the demon turned to face the newcomer, his black eyes meeting poison green.

A small smirk flashed over the reptile's face as her gaze swept over the two disheveled looking figures, her gaze fixing upon Aku's twitching ears even as she stepped aside to allow Ailith entrance to the room as well, amusement evident in every line of her lithe form and practically dripping off her voice in waves as she spoke up, her shoulders shaking with silent laughter. "Oh! I'm sorry. Are we interrupting something?"

Aku resisted the overwhelming urge to fling one of his pillows at her, glaring viciously at his assistant from his spot upon the narrow bed, sharp fangs baring in a snarl.

Someone had definitely just lost any right she had to receiving her first three paychecks upon his return to power.

But.. at the same time, why was he so uncomfortable? And dissappointed of all things? They'd merely been talking, haven't they? Humans were always known for being very.. tactile, even more so than demons. So it wasn't like they were doing anything that couldn't be considered normal, given their circumstances and.. And Satina really should better stop giving him that accursed smile already or he swore to God that blood would be shed that day.

Thankfully, it appeared as though the lizard had gotten the silent hint, because she merely waved him off with one last amused huff, springing lightly upon the bed and curling up upon her usual spot, green eyes twinkling in the soft light of the guest bedroom like tiny, vibrant jewels. Taking this opportunity, the Scotsman's wife finally stepped forward, pretending to be entirely oblivious to the palpable tension existing within the room. It was only then that the two men caught sight of the large bundle held gingerly within her arms, Aku's brows furrowing in confusion and Jack shooting her a confused look, mouth opening to ask the question no doubt already nagging at his mind. "What is that?"

"Somethin' te keep 'im warm," the woman replied, a broad grin stretching across her face as she unfolded her precious burden with a flourish, presenting the almost comically large article of clothing both creatures had ever witnessed, a surprised breath escaping the two other occupants of the room.

It was perhaps the ugliest sweater Aku had ever seen.

Dark red and obviously hand-knitted, the monstrosity hung heavily within Ailith's thick fingertips, confusing and asymmetrical patterns weaved into the garnet colored wool and spanning the entire front of the ghastly jumper, from the impossibly long sleeves to the very base of the turtle neck. The demon silently thanked whatever diety was actually out there that he could not find any identifying marks that would point to it being created by one of his own many clothing companies. His pride simply wouldn't have been able to handle that sort of information.

The bed shook imperceptibly with Satina's silent laughter.

Despite the almost stony silence that met her bizarre offering, the woman spoke up again, her voice bright and impossibly cheerful. "Since ye're cold and I 'aven' 'ad the time te knit ye anythin' proper yet, ye caen wear one of me hoosband's sweaters fer now. It oughta keep ye warm enuf till I can maek somethin' more fittin' fer ye."

Aku didn't need to look to know that Jack was now laughing beside him as well, too busy staring at the woman in absolute horror, his mouth going dry as he forced himself to speak up, voice hoarse. "I am not wearing that."

"You are." Jack said easily with a small, amused smile, his voice firm nevertheless as he rose to politely take the offering from their host with a grateful look, his onyx eyes fixing upon Aku in gentle admonishment.

The demon bared his fangs at him in defiance, cringing away as the samurai slowly approached him with the ugly sweater, the human sending him an unimpressed (and somewhat scolding) look.

"Aku."

The fallen tyrant glared back at him with equal might, his shoulders crossing tightly over his bandaged chest. Undeterred, the human stepped even closer, a soft sigh wringing itself past his pale lips as the demon inches away from him, black eyes watching the jumper with undisguised disgust.

"Aku, you are cold. You are putting this on one way or another even if I have to use force, do you understand me?"

Swallowing whatever complaints he was about to voice, the demon chose to finally concede to the inevitable, nodding to the other with great reluctance and glaring at the offending clothing even as he lifted his arms to make it easier for the samurai to pull it over his head, both humans smiling in slight amusement as the wounded creature's form virtually drowned within the sweater that was obviously several sizes too large for him, Aku blinking almost owlishly at them even as blessed warmth spread through his system, the incessant trembling finally, finally starting to subside.

It was just so warm. Warmer than anything he'd ever worn before, and so unbelievably soft beneath his dark fingertips, his claws unconsciously splaying and grabbing onto the pleasant fabric where they were entirely hidden within overly large sleeves. The demon would be lying if he said he wasn't somewhat taken aback by the discovery. Nobody had ever given him anything this wonderful before. Aku couldn't remember the last time he'd been this comfortable, unknown emotions swelling within his battered chest as he gazed upon the two humans, suddenly at a loss for words.

"Thank you..." He muttered quietly at last, his gaze falling to his lap, no longer able to look any of them in the eyes.

A soft smile graced the woman's lips as her fingers brushed gently against his head, tenderly caressing his sensitive ears and scratching lightly behind them, Ailith relishing in the quiet rumble of content that action earned her.

"Ye're welcome, dearie."

Satina's silent laughter was soon silenced by a well-placed kick from the demon's clawed foot.


End file.
